Country Information (COI) Network
Country information (COI) constitutes the main, and often the only available factual evidence in refugee status determination.
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Strasbourg court finds placement in special security regime in prison is inhuman and degrading
The European Court of Human Rights found that Hungary has breached the ban on inhuman and degrading treatment in the case of Csüllög v Hungary. The applicant was represented by the Helsinki Committee’s lawyer. The case concerned the placement of a prison inmate in a special security regime in the Satoraljaujhely prison for two years. The applicant had no opportunities to challenge his placement in the regime. It follows from the Court’s judgment that Hungary has to improve detention conditions and revise rules on legal remedies available to inmates.
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HHC helps to stop deportation of Senegalese father of two Hungarian children
Bouba can stay together with his two daughters and wife.
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HHC ready to provide legal aid in partnership with the Independent Police Trade Union
Reducing, curtailing or altering special pension schemes with a retroactive effect would violate the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights protecting the right to property. The HHC, in partnership with the Independent Police Trade Union, is ready to provide legal assistance to police officers if Parliament decides to retroactively revoke police officers’ right to an early pension.
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HHC ready to provide legal aid in partnership with the Independent Police Trade Union
Reducing, curtailing or altering special pension schemes with a retroactive effect would violate the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights protecting the right to property. The HHC, in partnership with the Independent Police Trade … Read more
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Retroactive curtailment of special pension schemes violates the ECHR
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee warns the Hungarian Parliament that reducing, curtailing or altering special pension schemes with a retroactive effect would violate the provision of the European Convention on Human Rights on the right to property.
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THe HHC turns to the European Court of Human Rights over private pension funds
Those Hungarians who decided not to return fully to the state’s pension scheme from their private pension funds lost their right to the portion of the state pension they would have received based on future contributions.
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The HHC turns to the European Court of Human Rights over private pension funds
Those Hungarians who decided not to return fully to the state’s pension scheme from their private pension funds lost their right to the portion of the state pension they would have received based on future contributions.
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HHC project on consultative forums between civilians and local police wins Austrian Sozialmarie prize
Projects could be submitted to the Sozialmarie which attempt to deal with a social problem from a new point of view applying creative, original methods. The program of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee in which we organized local “civil-police consultations” won a 1000 euro prize.
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NGOs inform the press on Hungary’s human rights performance in advance of UPR review
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a new and unique human rights mechanism of the United Nations Human Rights Council aiming at improving the human rights situation in each of the 192 UN Member States. Hungary’s human rights performance will be reviewed on 11 May 2011.
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HHC criticizes state inactivity
During a demonstration organized on 4 May 2011, human rights organizations called on the Hungarian government to take immediate steps to stamp out racist aggression.
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Budapest Police acknowledge that restricting access to Parliament Square in 2006 was disproportionate
In 2006, the police restricted access to the square in front of the Parliament of Hungary. Thus, for a while, it was not possible to demonstrate on the square. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee has claimed that the … Read more
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The first civil-police consultation organized by the HHC in the VIIIth district of Budapest was successful
The first civil-police consultation between the Budapest VIIIth District Police and the local organizations representing the Józsefváros inhabitants was held in April by the Hungarian Helsinki Committee. The aim of the consultation was building trust … Read more
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Briefing for Budapest-based embassies on Hungary’s human rights performance in advance of UPR review
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee organized a meeting for the embassies of Austria, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, The Netherlands, South Africa, Sweden and the United States. The HHC presented the list of issues and recommendations as well as its shadow report in advance of the Universal Periodic Review.
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Sample of constitutional complaint for civil servants dismissed
In its decision issued on 15 February the Constitutional Court ruled unanimously that the provisions on the unreasoned dismissal of civil servants are unconstitutional. However, the Court annulled the provisions only by 30 May 2011. The HHC stressed that those dismissed before 31 May 2011 may launch a constitutional complaint with the Constitutitonal Court, and has prepared a sample in order to help civil servants affected to submit their complaint.
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The Third Wave – The New Constitution
The Eötvös Károly Policy Institute, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee have examined the draft Constitution of Hungary submitted to the Parliament on 14 March 2011. According to the NGOs the draft Constitution undermines democratic political competition and makes political change more difficult by transforming institutional structures, weakens the system of checks and balances and alters the framework of the political community by extending the right to vote. The draft Constitution decreases the level of protection of fundamental rights and significantly limits the enforceability of these rights through curbing the Constitutional Court’s powers. Since there is no information available on the planned content of the acts of Parliament requiring a two-third majority to be adopted, it may be stated that the adoption of the new Constitution will be only the beginning of the constitution-making process, not the end of it.
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Documents related to the constitution-making process in Hungary – Spring 2011
16 March 2011 – The Eötvös Károly Institute, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee compiled a joint analysis on the process of framing the new Constitution of Hungary. The three NGOs … Read more
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Open letter to MEP József Szájer
Open letter to MEP József Szájer by the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union and the Eötvös Károly Institute concerning Mr Szájer’s blog post on the English translation of the draft Constitution of Hungary.
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HHC turned to the ECtHR concerning the accessibility of data on ex officio appointed defence counsels
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee submitted an application to the European Court of Human Rights after the Supreme Court of Hungary had ruled that the names of appointed counsels and the number of cases in which … Read more