Hungarian lawmakers approve bill to quit International Criminal Court

Hungary's parliament approved a bill on Tuesday that will start the country's year-long withdrawal process from the International Criminal Court, which Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government said has become "political,” Reuters reports.

Orban's government announced the move on April 3, shortly after Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Hungary for a state visit in a rare trip abroad in defiance of an ICC arrest warrant. The ICC's Presidency of the Assembly of State Parties expressed concern at the move.

The International Criminal Court was set up more than two decades ago to prosecute those accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Orban last month said the ICC was "no longer an impartial court, a rule-of-law court, but rather a political court,” according to Reuters.

Hungary has rejected the idea of arresting the Israeli prime minister and has called the warrant "brazen,” Reuters reported.

Hungary is a founding member of the ICC and ratified its founding document in 2001. However, the law has not been promulgated.

The bill to withdraw from the ICC passed on Tuesday with 134 members voting in favour and 37 against, according to Reuters.