Ukraine Information for refugees from Ukraine
Информация для ищущих убежища из Украины. Інформація для біженців із України.
Operation Starve and Strangle
Hungary’s proposed “Transparency” Law threatens core European democratic values and attacks independent civil society and media organisations
Relevant Helsinki Files
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Assessing Hungary’s compliance with conditions to access EU funds in November 2025
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 … Read more
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Toolkit and Handbook for Supporting Civil Society
A new handbook is published to support civil society in building strong communities of practice and the first ‘Caring to Include’ toolkit can be accessed that is developed to strengthen the well-being of staff and volunteers who support refugees and people seeking protection.
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Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association
Háttér Society, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU), and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC) have jointly submitted input to the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association for her 2026 thematic report … Read more
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Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief: The Right to a Dignified Final Farewell
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC) and the Support Network for Detainees and Their Families (FECSKE) have submitted input to the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief for her forthcoming thematic report on … Read more
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Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture: Experiences of Victims and Survivors
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC), together with the Support Network for Detainees and Their Families (FECSKE), has contributed to the call for input by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or … Read more
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Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee has submitted its response to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders for her forthcoming and final report to the 61st session of the Human Rights Council. The call for … Read more
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Attempts to Silence Judicial Dissent: The cases of Judge András Kovács and X, a senior scientific advisor at the Kúria
Breaches of judges’ 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
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Statements & Written Submissions at the 2025 OSCE Warsaw Human Dimension Conference
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee participated at the 2025 OSCE Human Dimension Conference. This 11-day conference was dedicated to discussions on the condition of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the OSCE area. The conference provided … Read more
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Strengthening Europe’s rule of law defences: New tools for early warning and strategic litigation
Two new resources developed under the Horizon Europe–funded RED-SPINEL project provide practical guidance for civil society and legal professionals on how to anticipate, detect, and respond to rule of law backsliding and fundamental rights violations across Europe.
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Questions and recommendations for Hungary in the Article 7 procedure – GAC hearing on 21 October
The Article 7(1) TEU procedure against Hungary was launched by the European Parliament in 2018 to assess whether there is a clear risk of a serious breach of the Union’s fundamental values. Since then, the … Read more
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Joint third-party intervention at the ECtHR in GYLA and Others v. Georgia
Seven Hungarian civil society organisations submitted a third-party intervention to the European Court of Human Rights in the case of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association and Others v. Georgia (Application no. 31069/24). The case was filed on behalf of 140 complainants following the adoption of Georgia’s Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence which infringes the rights of independent civil society organisations and private individuals.
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Pécs Pride 2025 – Q&A
The Hungarian Government uses its power arbitrarily to discourage people from attending the Pécs Pride in 2025. According to an amendment adopted by the Parliament, attending Pride will be considered a petty offence. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (TASZ) and the Streetlawyer Association (Utcajogász) teamed up to answer your questions. Most importantly, the more people attend Pride, the less risky it becomes for everyone. Our Q&A will help you prepare for possible outcomes, and if proceedings are initiated against you, you can count on us!
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Rule 9 Communication to the Council of Europe: Non-execution of the ECtHR judgment in Magyar Helsinki Bizottság v. Hungary
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee submitted a communication to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe regarding the non-execution of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the Magyar Helsinki Bizottság … Read more
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Finding our Local Powers – Apply to our autumn human rights course!
Do you want to:
– get to know how democratic power functions at the local level?
– be a part of a diverse, young team of refugees, migrants and Hungarians?
– explore human rights issues faced by refugees in Budapest?
– learn and have fun with interactive educational methods?If yes, apply to the Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s Human Rights Course by 14 September!
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The Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s annual report is out!
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s annual report on its activities in 2024 is now available in both Hungarian and English. As a human rights NGO, we provided legal assistance to approximately 4,000 clients last year and successfully represented individuals in 15 cases before the European Court of Human Rights.
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Strasbourg court draws a line on Hungary’s mass pushbacks
In a landmark judgment, the European Court of Human Rights has mandated the Hungarian government to pay just satisfaction to three asylum seekers represented by the Hungarian Helsinki Committee after determining their expulsion from Hungary … Read more
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Detention conditions in Hungary fall short of European standards
In recent years, detention conditions in Hungary have attracted increasing international attention. This has further intensified following the 2024 extradition of a non-binary German defendant. However, the German Federal Constitutional Court deemed the extradition unlawful due to the risks of inhumane and degrading treatment in Hungarian detention facilities.
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Hungary’s new Commissioner for Fundamental Rights should be selected in a transparent and merit-based procedure
Civil society organisations warn that the functioning of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, the country’s national human rights institution, continues to fall short of international standards, failing to protect human rights and vulnerable communities. They remind that the new Commissioner, who will have to be nominated shortly, should be selected in a transparent and merit-based procedure.
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Refugee children win in Strasbourg over unlawful detention
June 20 is World Refugee Day. Meanwhile, in Hungary, the word “refugee” has become a slur, and xenophobia underpins government policy. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a human rights organization devoted to defending persecuted people, firmly rejects this approach. Its refugee clients have just won two more cases at the European Court of Human Rights. In both cases, children – even with serious health conditions – were victims of rights violations by Hungarian authorities.
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Turkish family man won big in Strasbourg after he was denied defense and was expelled from the country
Despite having a Hungarian wife and daughter and living lawfully in Hungary for 31 years, a Turkish father was expelled from the country. He was not even informed of the reasons why his presence was considered a security risk. The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has awarded him just satisfaction amounting to approximately six million forints, ruling that the Hungarian state expelled him without ensuring a fair trial and adequate judicial remedy. Orhan Demirci was represented by the Hungarian Helsinki Committee.