Pride Freedom prevails
Prosecution drops charges against organisers of Budapest and Pécs Pride marches
Relevant Helsinki Files
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Important: Your permanent residence card may become invalid on 3 August 2026
If you are a non-EU family member of a Hungarian or another EEA national and live in Hungary with a permanent residence card issued between 3 August 2016 and 2 August 2021, an important deadline is approaching. Your card will automatically become invalid on 3 August 2026, so you must apply to the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing for a new residence document by 27 July at the latest.
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Youth participation matters
The “Human Rights Defenders of the Future” course brings Hungarian and refugee youth together to explore active citizenship
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The Draft 17th Amendment of the Fundamental Law: sometimes too much, sometimes too little, but can be improved
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee has submitted its opinion on the draft 17th Amendment to the Fundamental Law. The organisation objects to the government allowing just 5 days for public consultation on matters of this magnitude, and to its failure to justify in sufficient detail the considerations underlying the proposed amendments. The Helsinki Committee considers the removal of certain constitutional office-holders to be acceptable for the purpose of restoring the rule of law, but takes issue on several points with the manner and justification of those removals. It also identifies as problematic the fact that the draft contains changes that are not necessary for restoring the rule of law, while at the same time failing to repeal certain provisions that seriously curtail fundamental rights.
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Removal of high public office holders: international standards and legal options
In his victory speech following the April parliamentary elections, the future prime minister called on the high public office holders appointed and entrenched over the past sixteen years to resign. As those concerned have not yet resigned, the new government is expected to replace them through legislative measures, within the framework of the rule of law, as promised by the prime minister. How can this be achieved? In our background paper, we have compiled the international standards that are applicable in similar situations and that the Hungarian government must also adhere to.
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Flash report on the Article 7 procedure before the 16 June 2026 GAC
The Article 7 procedure concerning Hungary, which has been ongoing since 2018, focuses on serious breaches of the EU’s fundamental values, covering several rule of law and human rights issues not addressed by other EU procedures. The new government of Hungary has made several welcome commitments to address the systemic problems that have developed over the past decade and a half in the areas covered by the procedure, but addressing these properly is a longer-term process.
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Freedom prevails: prosecution drops charges against organisers of Budapest and Pécs Pride marches
The prosecution has dropped all charges against the organisers of Budapest and Pécs Pride marches, ending a legal battle that began after the government’s 2025 crackdown on LGBTQI-related public demonstrations. The decision marks a significant setback for attempts to restrict Pride events and confirms that the exercise of fundamental rights cannot be criminalised, while underscoring the need for broader legal reforms to bring Hungarian law back into line with European human rights standards.
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Hungary’s Democratic Transition Faces a Structural Obstacle: 33 Senior Officials Entrenched for Years to Come
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee has updated its Cemented website to document how long Fidesz-appointed officeholders can remain in their posts.
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AIDA Country Report on Hungary – 2025 Update
The AIDA report presents a comprehensive overview of the asylum system in Hungary in 2025.
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Hungarian Citizen Election Report 2026
The 2026 Citizen Election Report is a joint initiative of leading Hungarian civil society organisations active in election monitoring: 20k – Free Vote, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, K-Monitor, Mérték Media Monitor, and Political Capital. It aims to provide an authentic Hungarian perspective on the 2026 parliamentary elections, drawing on analyses by experts with decades of experience, as well as firsthand accounts of hundreds of ballot counters, election observers, and voters.
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PICUM report: Criminalisation of solidarity with migrants in the EU
PICUM’s report on the criminalization of solidarity in the EU in 2025.
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The moment of opportunity and responsibility
Hungary has voted for change. Now comes the hard work of restoring the rule of law. We, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, look forward to playing our part.
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Selected Issues for Election Observers
Ahead of the April 12 elections, our latest briefing note is for everyone monitoring or closely following the Hungarian elections. We focus on selected aspects of the electoral environment that could be particularly relevant on … Read more
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Selected Readings on the 2026 Hungarian Parliamentary Elections
Background materials for election observation missions and delegations
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Flash Report Ahead of the 2026 Hungarian Parliamentary Elections
The 2026 Hungarian parliamentary elections are taking place in a highly polarised political environment, marked by entrenched systemic distortions in electoral competition. Recent developments confirm that the primary risks to electoral integrity stem not from … Read more
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Beaten Back at Europe’s Borders
2025 report on pushbacks in Europe
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Human Rights Defenders of the Future – Apply to our spring human rights course!
Do you want to:
– get to know how democratic power functions at different levels?
– learn about social participation in Hungary and become an active citizen?
– be a part of a diverse, young team of refugees, migrants and Hungarians?
– learn and have fun with interactive educational methods?If yes, apply to the Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s Human Rights Course by 29 March!
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Hungarian Helsinki Committee turns to Kúria to protect Transcarpathian refugee families facing homelessness
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee is asking Hungary’s highest court (Kúria) to review court rulings that rejected lawsuits filed on behalf of refugee families from Transcarpathia (Zakarpattia, western Ukraine) seeking continued access to state-funded accommodation. According to the human rights organisation, the courts’ interpretation of the law is flawed and inconsistent with the protections guaranteed under the Temporary Protection Directive.
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Information for Iranian Nationals in Hungary
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee prepared an information leaflet for Iranian nationals currently in Hungary.
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Same Old, Same Old: Current State of Danger Rules Continue to Undermine the Rule of Law in Hungary
Recent developments in Hungary once again highlight how the “state of danger” is a tool to concentrate powers in the hands of the executive. Our one-pager explains the deficient framework and how it is abused in practice.
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Where assembly is a crime: charges brought against the organizer of Pécs Pride
This morning, the Pécs District Prosecutor’s Office informed Géza Buzás-Hábel, the organizer of last Fall’s Pécs Pride, that charges had been brought against him for organizing Pécs Pride. The prosecutor’s office has turned to the Pécs District Court for violation of the freedom of association and assembly, which could impose up to one year of imprisonment.