Category: News

Our latest short films showcase the work of Helsinki Committee lawyers in helping refugees and migrants in Hungary.

The government’s proposal for an amnesty for 23 Dec protesters at Parliament who now face absurd charges is well placed in a grotesque play, say the Helsinki Committee and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union.

Hungarian NGO’s send alternative answers to Viviane Reding, EU Fundamental Rights Commissioner

Criminal charges on account of violation of personal liberty against protesting MPs and activist of LMP run counter to human logic, since no one’s freedom of movement has been violated and anyone could access the Parliament building. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee is offering free legal assistance to activists detained by the police.

The project “Knowledge-based harmonisation of European asylum practices”, coordinated by the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, held its closing conference in Budapest on 8-9 December 2011.

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee finds the case of ethnic Hungarians from Slovakia losing their citizenship due to obtaining Hungarian citizenship astonishing and absurd. As a consequence of the bad neighbourly relations between the two countries, … Read more

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The Metropolitan Court in its judgment of November 5 acquitted Róbert Kiss, the leader of the ‘New Hungarian Guard’ of the charges of the abuse of right to assembly. According to the judge the Court should deliver its judgement on the basis of the “prevailing order in the country” and not according to the rule of law. This reasoning is especially problematic when the judge refers to the views of a particular political party.

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee commented the draft law on the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture (OPCAT). The HHC welcomes the ratification of the OPCAT and the designation of the ombudsman as the national preventive mechanism. We are dissapointed however that the draft law does not cover all types of places of detention. We are concerned that NGOs which already acquired significant experience in monitoring detention are excluded from the national preventive mechanism which would start its operation only in 2015.

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s study examines the negative stereotypes in the Hungarian media related to the topics of migration and refugees. The research was based on 300 articles collected and evaluated in 2011.

In their letter sent to the President of the European Commission, the Eötvös Károly Institute, the HHC and the HCLU claim that Hungarian legal provisions on the Data Protection Commissioner of Hungary violate relevant EU directives. The NGOs suggest the Commission to initiate a proceeding against Hungary.

The Hungarian Civil Liberties Union and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee jointly commented on the new draft law on petty offence. The two human rights watchdog NGOs draw the attention to provisions violating the international and domestic law.

Hungary refuses to examine on the merits asylum claims of asylum-seekers arriving in Hungary through Serbia, based on the wrong presumption that Serbia is able and willing to provide protection to these persons. This practice is in breach of Article 3 and 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

On 21/09/2011, human rights NGOs met with delegates of the Hungarian Government to discuss future steps of implementing the recommendations accepted by the government in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

The European Court of Human Rights found that two Ivorian asylum-seekers, represented by the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, had been held in immigration detention unlawfully for 5 months. Hungary must pay 10 000 EUR to each applicant for damages. The Court’s judgment highlights systemic problems concerning the detention of asylum-seekers in immigration jails in Hungary.

The HCLU and the HHC protest against the decision of the Police banning planned demonstrations of trade unions in front of the Parliament and in the Castle in Budapest. The NGOs claim that the ban has no valid reasons and violates the right to assembly of trade union members. The HCLU helps trade unions to challenge the decision before the court.

According to the NGOs’ view, the proposed amendments would allow the prosecutor to prohibit the attorney to attend the hearing of the witness. On the other hand it is a positive step that the draft law would ensure the right of appeal in case of placement in special security cells.

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee submitted a 17-page analysis at the request of the parliamentary Committee investigating the Gyöngyöspata events. According to the HHC, the mandate for the Committee of Inquiry raises concerns as it fails … Read more

The head of an extremist group (Betyársereg) cooperating with the parliamentary party Jobbik incited its audience to kill Jews, Roma and people who have “a different color skin” at a festival in Verőce.

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee urges the Prosecutor’s Office to investigate the case and the Prime Minister and the President of Hungary to condemn the manifestations of hatred. The Helsinki Committee reminds that these steps are especially important considering the high level of intolerance towards minorities in the country.

The HHC’s co-chair represented László Karsai, is a Hungarian historian and university professor before the European Court of Human Rights in a case concerning the applicant’s freedom of expression. In 2004 there was a public … Read more