LexNGO 2018: The proposals, and our analyses and statements
On 29 May 2018, the Hungarian government published two draft laws as the third version of LexNGO 2018, or of what it refers to as the ‘Stop Soros’ package. The drafts propose using criminal law sanctions and prison terms as weapons against human rights defenders, under the false pretext of tightening rules against irregular migration.
THE PROPOSALS:
- The unofficial translation of the the bill ‘on the amendment of certain laws in relation to illegal immigration’, submitted to Parliament on 29 May 2018,
- The unofficial translation of the Seventh amendment to the Basic Law, submitted to Parliament on 29 May 2018,
- The unofficial translation of the provisions on the ‘special tax on immigration’, as adopted by Parliament on 20 July 2018,
ANALYSES & STATEMENTS:
- The Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s statement regarding the adoption of the proposals
- The Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s initial reaction
- La reacción inicial del Comité Helsinki Húngaro
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The translations of the previous versions of the government’s LexNGO bill, along with their analysis are available below
On 13 February 2018, the Hungarian government published three draft laws targeting civil society organisations.
THE PROPOSALS:
- The unofficial translation of the second version of the Hungarian government’s LexNGO bill, submitted to Parliament on 13 February 2018
- The unofficial translation of the Hungarian government’s LexNGO 2018 proposal announced on 18 January 2018
ANALYSIS:
- [17 February 2018] Following up on the 2017 NGO Law on foreign-funded organisations, the bills are potentially lethal blows to civil society in Hungary: their novelty is that the threat is now existential and also targets individuals. Should the proposals be adopted in spring 2018, they will cause grave and irreparable damage to Hungarian civil society. By the end of 2018, a number of NGOs will be unable to function or carry out core work due to five direct and imminent threats to their mission. Operation starve & strangle, the joint statement of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, revised to reflect the final version of the Bills,
- [1 February 2018] Operation starve & strangle, the joint statement of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, assessing the impact of the original proposals that were later substantially amended,
PODCAST:
- [19 February 2018] Márta Pardavi, co-chair of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee speaks to the Budapest Beacon about government’s “Starve & Strangle Bill”. The podcast