Category: News

Interview with András Léderer, senior advocacy officer of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s refugee programme.

The Hungarian Government requested additional funding under the Recovery and Resilience Facility from the European Commission in the Prime Minister’s letter of 18 March 2022. Hungary’s Recovery and Resilience Plan is yet to be approved … Read more

Our new information note provides on overview on recent key developments following the baseline information note published on 21 February 2022. These series of notes are aimed at those who would like to have up-to-date … Read more

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee provides regular, reliable information on the situation at the Ukrainian-Hungarian border and of refugees fleeing Ukraine due to the Russian invasion. Our updates on the protection situation in Hungary: 2 March … Read more

Our updated guide is available in four languages: Hungarian, English, Ukranian, Russian. Individuals fleeing from Ukraine have different options in Hungary based on their citizenship. This document collects the most important pieces of information. Detailed … Read more

Our communications to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe show that the independence and integrity of the judiciary in Hungary has been further weakened by the government, and Hungary has been failing to implement the European Court of Human Rights’ judgment in the Baka case.

Today the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), delivered its judgment in the case of an Afghan family who were held in the transit zone for 209 days in 2017. The Court found that the familiy had been unlawfully detained under inhuman conditions.

In the early hours of this morning the Russian armed aggression against Ukraine began and populated areas across the entirety of Ukraine are being shelled by Russian forces. People will inevitably start fleeing the armed … Read more

European election observers and Hungarian civil society organisations call on EU Member State governments to honour OSCE ODIHR’s recommendations and second election observers to Hungary for the parliamentary elections on April 3   To EU … Read more

Our new baseline note provides an overview of the legal framework, practical arrangements and key developments on nine key areas, from the electoral system to the regulations on election observation. The note is aimed at … Read more

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee welcomes today’s ruling by the CJEU, which is an important victory for the rule of law and EU citizens.

In April 2022, the Hungarian parliamentary elections will be among the most important stress tests for democracy and the rule of law within the European Union. There is a considerable likelihood that they will – … Read more

The empowerment course for refugees and migrants starts in March 2022

As of today, 1 February 2022, the time limit for bringing proceedings before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg will be reduced to 4 months instead of 6 months. 

Nine Hungarian NGOs submitted a joint contribution in the stakeholder consultation launched by the European Commission for its third annual Rule of Law Report. The Commission’s previous Rule of Law Report (pertaining to 2020) identified … Read more

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee has a new logo now. The renewed logo builds on the previous one, but the new version is friendlier, cleaner, and more direct. With the help of the De-Form Design Studio, the organisation has revamped its entire brand, from letterhead to merchandising products.

In 2017, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Croatia illegally expelled an Afghan family seeking asylum with their many children. The victim on whom the judgment in the case was based was a six-year-old girl, Madina, who had died. Her tragic death is a disturbing example of a ruthless migration policy similar to the practice in Hungary. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee intervened in the Strasbourg proceedings in order to promote the cause of asylum-seeking victims.

According to the current state of affairs, one year after the elections – not including the Prime Minister – 31 of the 32 most important leaders of the state apparatus will be the same person as they are now. Even in the case of an opposition victory. In fact, having a two-third majority in Parliament, Fidesz can get even more of our public dignitaries cemented into their seats anytime until the elections in April, for an even longer period. With the Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s useful infographics, we can “look into the future”.

Ahead of the Hungarian parliamentary elections set for 3 April, twenty Hungarian civil society organisations are urging the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in a joint letter to deploy a full-scale election observation mission (EOM) to Hungary, with a high number of short-term observers on election day. 

As another sign of the country’s rule of law backsliding, Hungary has been failing to implement judgments of the Strasbourg and Luxembourg courts, and Hungarian authorities are repeatedly disregarding the judgments of the country’s own domestic courts as well. A new research paper by the Hungarian Helsinki Committee shows just how deep this phenomenon runs.