Category: Our reports and analyses

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s replies to requests to provide information by the Hungarian national focal point for the FRANET research network of the EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA)

Breaches of the freedom of expression of judges have been a long-standing problem in Hungary. The individual instances may not be as blatant as in the case of Poland, however, the issue is persistent: for … Read more

Sweeping public protest of Hungarian judges against a political deal undermining judicial independence

In December 2022, European Union institutions suspended and tied to conditions Hungary’s access to EU funds under various procedures due to severe breaches of the rule of law and human rights. Ahead of the upcoming re-assessment by the Commission and the Council in the framework of the conditionality mechanism in December 2024, Hungarian civil society organisations looked at the steps the Hungarian government has taken to date to address the deficiencies identified by the Commission and the representatives of Member States in the Council.

Six years have passed since the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on the Council of the European Union to determine, pursuant to Article 7(1) of the Treaty of the European Union, the existence of … Read more

Over the past years, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and Amnesty International Hungary as human rights watchdog organisations have been closely monitoring the situation of the Hungarian judiciary as part of their activity aimed at defending human rights and the rule of law. Besides keeping track of legislative changes affecting the courts, we also examine and evaluate the organisation of the judiciary, the activities and statements of court administration actors and judicial bodies. In line with our former practice, we will continue to monitor the activities of the National Judicial Council (NJC), the highest judicial self-governing body mandated to supervise the central administration of courts.

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee participated at the 2024 OSCE Human Dimension Conference and took the floor and provided written submissions on the situation of human rights defenders and civic space, on the rights of asylum-seekers … Read more

In February 2024, the Civilisation coalition conducted a survey among its partner organisations to understand the threats posed by the recently enacted Sovereignty Protection Act for civil society organisations in Hungary and to assess how … Read more

In June 2024, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee provided input to the call of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers for the forthcoming report on the undue influence of economic actors … Read more

The 2024 Hungarian Citizen Election Report is a joint initiative of the most prominent Hungarian election-related organisations: 20k, Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU), Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Mérték Media Monitor, Political Capital, and Unhack Democracy. It aims to provide a credible picture of the European Parliament and local government election process through the eyes and experience of Hungarians, based on the analyses of experts with decades of experience and the personal observations of nearly a thousand poll workers who followed the voting process this year.

Less than a year after taking remarkable steps to strengthen the independence of courts to gain access to frozen union funds, the Hungarian government is back again on its decade-long agenda to dismantle the system … Read more

The Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, K-Monitor and Transparency International Hungary argue in their communication that the non-execution of domestic court judgments by state authorities in freedom of information cases is a severe problem in Hungary with systemic causes.

On 9 June 2024, Hungary will hold elections for Members of the European Parliament, local government representatives, and representatives of minority self-governments. These will be the first nationwide elections since 3 April 2022, when Hungary … Read more

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe supervising the implementation of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights will put the case of former Chief Justice András Baka on the agenda in June 2024 again to examine the steps taken by Hungary to remedy the systemic problems that also concern Hungarian judges’ freedom of expression.

Four years have passed since the Hungarian Government first declared a state of danger, a special legal order regime, allowing it to override higher level laws in emergency decrees overnight. The Government has been maintaining … Read more

In December 2023, the Hungarian Parliament adopted Act LXXXVIII of 2023 on the Protection of National Sovereignty. The Act consists of two main pillars: establishing a new Sovereignty Protection Office (SPO) to carry out investigations, … Read more

Act LXXXVIII of 2023 on the Protection of National Sovereignty entered into force on 23 December 2023. The Act consists of two distinct elements: the setting up of the new Sovereignty Protection Office as of … Read more

Hungary is in dire need of EU funds. Yet, as a consequence of systemic corruption, fundamental right violations and public policy deficiencies, the bulk of EU funding remains suspended. Financial measures affect Union Funds under the Multiannual Financial Framework (MMF), as well as the Recovery and Resiliency Facility (RRF). The Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s scrollytelling tool unpacks blocked payments for Hungary and the related procedures.

For the fifth year in a row, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee is contributing to the European Commission’s annual Rule of Law Report in coordination with other Hungarian human rights and anti-corruption CSOs. Once again, Amnesty … Read more

Less than one week before the scheduled decision on compliance with the judicial super milestones by the European Commission, the Hungarian government launched last-minute legislative amendments to cover at least part of the outstanding deficiencies … Read more