Potential Milestones to Restore the Rule of Law in Hungary
Our proposal for a set of potential milestones, aimed at restoring the rule of law in Hungary, with a focus on judicial independence and democratic law-making.
Relevant Helsinki Files
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Curtailing the rights of teachers who demand improvements in the public education system
Severely deteriorating conditions in the public education system in Hungary have led teachers, students and parents to make increasingly louder demands for change. However, instead of listening to their fact-based concerns, the Hungarian government has … Read more
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Russian refugee who fled to Hungary from the secret services cannot be deprived of her refugee status without a clear reason
On 23 March, the court annulled the earlier decision to withdraw Ms Gáborné Nagy’s international protection and ordered the authorities to start a new procedure. The judgement ruled that if the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (OIF) still wants to deprive her of her refugee status, it has to find properly founded, reasoned objections, and make them available to the person concerned so that she can express her views.
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Call for Applications for National Researchers under ‘The Right to Know 2’ project
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee is looking for lawyers to carry out national research for an EU-wide mapping study on the topic of access to classified data in national security immigration/asylum cases in Denmark, Finland and … Read more
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The non-execution of the Baka-judgment is becoming all the more embarrassing for Hungary
The Council of Europe has been waiting for Hungary to take steps to execute the Baka case that also concerns the freedom of expression of judges. The inactivity and the telling silence of the Hungarian government is becoming all the more embarrassing, especially because Hungary is expected to give account of important guarantees of the judicial system. During the latest supervision effected in March, the Committee of Ministers also took note of the fact that the President of the Kúria requested the annulment of the Code of Ethics of Judges before the Constitutional Court.
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No access to asylum on the territory since 27 May 2020
Since 27 May 2020, it is almost impossible to access the asylum procedure in Hungary. Our new information note summarises the litigation struggle of clients represented by the Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC), who lawfully entered … Read more
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New HHC victory at the European Court of Human Rights
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s client, a 23-year-old Iraqi man, entered Hungary irregularly in 2015. He immediately informed the police that he needs asylum in Hungary. He was then placed in asylum detention, even though the … Read more
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The freedom of expression of judges at stake
As a result of six years of continuous inertia to implement the European Court of Human Rights judgment in the Baka v. Hungary case, in which the Court concluded that the premature removal of the … Read more
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The validity of temporary protection is automatically extended
The validity of temporary protection (menedékes) cards is automatically extended until 4 March 2024.
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Government gains excessive powers from forever renewable state of danger
The Hungarian government first acquired excessive emergency powers with a view to the pandemic in the spring of 2020: it declared a “state of danger” (veszélyhelyzet), a special legal order regime, while the governing majority … Read more
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Joint assessment of the government’s judicial package aimed at unblocking EU funds
On 18 January, the Hungarian government published and submitted for public consultation a draft law on the judiciary. The amendments are essential to fulfil the so-called super milestones set by the EU, linked to the … Read more
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New rules to reduce prison overcrowding affecting foreign detainees
The reduction of the overcrowding of Hungarian prisons is a legitimate aim, however it is yet to be seen how the necessary guarantees, such as access to quality legal aid, and interpretation, and the assessment of non-refoulement are secured for foreign detainees.
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Empowerment for migrants and refugees
In 2021, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee launched its pilot course to support the social inclusion of foreigners and refugees living in Hungary. This is our film on the empowerment course. Please get in touch with … Read more
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The Government’s draft law on the judiciary does not comply with RRP super milestones
The legal changes proposed by the Hungarian government about the country’s judicial system do not meet the requirements set out in the respective super milestones by EU institutions in relation to Hungary’s Recovery and Resilience … Read more
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European Court of Human Rights: Hungary is responsible for the death of a 22-year-old Syrian refugee
Hungarian authorities are responsible for the death of a young Syrian man who drowned in the river Tisza at the Serbian-Hungarian border after police assaulted and pushed him back in 2016, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled today.
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Renewed smear campaigns against judges show lack of guarantees
Safeguards against abuses when it comes to the restriction of the freedom of expression of Hungarian judges are still missing. This is also evidenced by new, intense smear campaigns launched in 2022 against critical judges, with government politicians joining the propaganda media. In their submission to the Council of Europe, Amnesty International Hungary and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee argue that this goes against the judgment delivered by the European Court of Human Rights over six years ago in the Baka v. Hungary case.
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Hungarian CSOs contribute to the European Commission’s 2023 Rule of Law Report
For the fourth 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. This year, Amnesty … Read more
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Rule of law backsliding from a criminal justice perspective
Rule of law backsliding affects all policy areas and all areas of life, including the performance of law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system. With a view to the stakeholder consultation regarding the European … Read more
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STARLIGHT launch webinar on 20/1/2023: The Power of Strategic Litigation in the EU
Are you a lawyer, passionate about protecting fundamental rights across Europe, and eager to develop your skills and knowledge to unlock the power of the Charter of Fundamental Rights (the Charter)? If so, STARLIGHT is for you.
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RELATE Initiative: Promoting refugee protection through education in Northwest Africa
The protection of refugees requires trained professionals, who know how to build and operate protection systems in line with international human rights obligations. Unfortunately, in most regions of the world refugee studies are not taught … Read more
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Criminalisation continues – Hungary fails to implement CJEU judgment
On 7 December 2022, the Hungarian Parliament amended the infamous Stop Soros law in a last-minute amendment that was introduced through a parliamentary supercommittee to an unrelated omnibus bill. The changes will enter into force … Read more