Anybody may become defenceless in the face of the state’s power.
The HHC’s attorney represented applicants Mr. Réti and Mrs. Fizli before the European Court of Human Rights in relation to their ill-treatment by the police (Application no. 31373/11). The applicants were ill-treated by the police … Read more
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee is joining with a coalition of NGOs in asking domestic companies and Hungarian divisions of multinationals to take a stand against racist commentary in Hungary. The NGOs are asking, among others, Vodafone, T-Com, FedEx, IKEA and Procter and Gamble to reconsider advertising in a Hungarian newspaper which published an article talking about Romani people in unacceptably racist and prejudiced language.
The UN Human Rights Committee (HRC) is in the process of preparing a General Comment on Article 9 (Liberty and Security of Person) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Upon the invitation … Read more
Helsinki Committees conduct research and monitor detention facilities for children in Central and Eastern Europe. The main aim of the project is to examine lawfulness of detention and its conditions in Bulgaria, Poland, Romania and Hungary.
During the riots in the autumn of 2006, X. Y. was ill-treated by police officers while being escorted to a police van after his apprehension. The case was witnessed by fellow police officers, who were … Read more
NGOs turn to the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers concerned that the Hungarian Government discontinued the membership of Jenő Kaltenbach in ECRI.
Police again fail to properly qualify cases as racial violence. Instead of investigating racial motives and considering recent incidents in Cegléd, violence against a member of a community, focuses on simple rowdyism.
On 23 December 2011, MPs and activists of the opposition party Politics Can be Different (Lehet Más a Politika, LMP) formed a human chain around the Parliament, chaining themselves to objects at the entrance of … Read more
In July 2012 the HHC submitted an application to the European Court of Human Rights in a case of a 50-year old truck driver with clear criminal record. In 2011 the driver was assigned to … Read more
HHC assists 105 judges to file complaints at European Court of Human Rights over mandatory retirement.
The HHC’s client was transferred two times to the Judicial and Observation Psychiatric Institute (IMEI) while being in pre-trial detention, since in the respective penitentiary institution’s view he was dangerous to himself. In the IMEI, … Read more
The aim of the conference organised by the HHC and the MDAC was to prepare Hungary for the operation of the body monitoring the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty established in the framework of the OPCAT.
The notary of the village Rimóc (Northern Hungary) noticed that petty offence fines for lack of mandatory accessories for bicycles (ring, headlights, reflector prisms) are almost exclusively imposed on Roma people in the area, although … Read more
The Budapest Police's decision to ban Budapest Pride 2012 march, citing obstruction of traffic, not only breaches marchers' right to freedom of assembly, but is also severely discriminatory. The Budapest Pride march is scheduled to … Read more
The HHC’s 28-page long comments on the draft Criminal Code, published in February 2012. Criminal statistics do not warrant increasingly harsh penal policies planned by the government. Legal institutions that breacht the Fundamental Law and international law (e.g. three strikes law, life-long imprisonment without parole) remained in the draft, and it also contains disproportionate sanctions.
As part of public consultations on the draft Criminal Code, 5 human rights NGOs call for thorough reform of legal provisions on hate crimes.
The government’s proposal for an amnesty for 23 Dec protesters at Parliament who now face absurd charges is well placed in a grotesque play, say the Helsinki Committee and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union.
The Hungarian system of penitentiary disciplinary procedures is dysfunctional due to systemic and procedural reasons, as suggested by the HHC’s monitoring and project experiences and information provided by lawyers as well as penitentiary staff. The … Read more
Criminal charges on account of violation of personal liberty against protesting MPs and activist of LMP run counter to human logic, since no one’s freedom of movement has been violated and anyone could access the Parliament building. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee is offering free legal assistance to activists detained by the police.