Three recent high-profile corruption cases clearly show that an independent judiciary is essential to fight corruption and eliminate risks for the EU budget, and arbitrary and uncontrolled court management powers are not only a theoretical … Read more
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee reached a milestone in our litigation struggle against Hungary’s indiscriminate and violent push-back policy applied at the Serbian-Hungarian border. In September 2022, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that it violates the prohibition of collective expulsions and the right to remedy. This is our second victory in Strasbourg concerning this unlawful practice, and it gives us hope for several similar pending cases – and reaching systemic change in this unfair policy.
In 2018, the government propaganda outlet Figyelő published a blacklist of 200 members of civil society and academia – including the Hungarian Helsinki Committee staff –, calling them “Soros mercenaries”. It took years to have … Read more
The Court of Justice of the European Union confirmed that a common Hungarian practice is not only cruel but unlawful: Hungarian legislation provides that authorities can withdraw international protection further to a danger to national security without providing the grounds of the decision to the person concerned or their legal representative. In September 2022, the Luxembourg court judged in favour of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s client. The judgement clarified that refugees have the right to know why the authorities denied them international protection.
Tuesday, 13 December 2022,15:00-17:00 (CET) – online on Zoom In November 2022, the European Commission launched a public consultation for the 2023 edition of the Rule of Law Report. The Report monitors positive and negative … Read more
“We do our utmost not to let the children drop out from education.”
“I had to pick the children up to avoid having them stomped.”
“Mom tried to calm me down, saying everything will be OK. I believed her, I had to.”
“If the war will be over, I’ll take my family home.”
“I only have my children. They are my life.”
“I’m sure the garlic planted in spring has already gone to seed and grown enormous.”
Promises and half-hearted solutions have failed to convince the European Commission, and so Hungary has still no access to vital EU funds. According to the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, K-Monitor and Transparency International (TI) Hungary, the … Read more
The Hungarian judiciary has been waiting in vain for nine months for their leaders to clarify their role in one of the most serious corruption scandals of recent years, the Schadl–Völner case, involving György Schadl, … Read more
In an attempt to capture the Hungarian judiciary, in the past years several judges have been granted appointments and/or leadership positions through either formal breaches of the relevant laws, or using legal loopholes. In our … Read more
On November 23, the Curia (also known as the Supreme Court of Hungary) found that an article published by the Hungarian media giant Mediaworks does not violate Labrisz Lesbian Association’s right to good reputation by … Read more
Upon the call of the Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee submitted an input for the Special Rapporteur’s thematic report “The duty to investigate … Read more
The HHC submitted a communication to the Committee of Ministers on the execution of a 2015 pilot judgment on inadequate detention conditions in Hungarian prisons and the remaining issues of the related compensation system. The … Read more
With the 19 November deadline given to the Hungarian government to enact the remedial measures it committed to in the framework of the conditionality mechanism nearing, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, K-Monitor and Transparency International Hungary … Read more
Public Members Briefing on the Erosion of Rule of Law and Democracy in Hungary, 15 November 2022 Márta Pardavi, HHC co-chair briefed members of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Europe, Energy, … Read more
Corruption in Hungary has been in the forefront of the discussions about the country’s rule of law backsliding in the past months. However, rule of law concerns with regard to Hungary are much more diverse, … Read more