Anybody may become defenceless in the face of the state’s power.
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
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
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.
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
A prison guard ill-treating a detainee in July 2010 in the Budapest High and Medium Scurity Prison was found guilty by the Regional Court of Budapest on 30 March 2011. The decision is final. The … Read more
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU) submitted a joint petition to the Constitutional Court, requesting the Court to repeal the Act of Parliament nullifying the court decisions brought in connection … Read more
The HCLU, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and the Legal Defence Bureau for National and Ethnic Minorities wrote a joint letter to Minister of Interior Sándor Pintér. The human rights NGOs requested the Minister to immediately … Read more
According to the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, the „nullification law” proposed by Fidesz MP István Balsai violates the division of powers and the criminal procedure based on the rule of law. According to the proposal, an … Read more
Some people suggest that the new constitution of Hungary should make capital punishment possible. What do you think? Others would like if citizens no longer had to pay taxes. What is your opinion? There are … Read more
The Budapest Pride March was banned by the Budapest Police Headquarters. The HHC and the HCLU helped the organizers of the Budapest Pride to challenge the police ban before court.
The European Court of Human Rights ruled in its decision dated 11 January 2011 that the pre-trial detention of a 27-year old man was unjustified. According to the ECtHR, the applicant should not have been … Read more
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee has received a number of letters claiming that the NGO raises its voice against bias attacks againt Roma persons, but does not do so in case of criminal offenses committed by persons perceived to be Roma. Balázs Tóth, programme coordinator of the HHC and Ferenc Kőszeg founding president exhchanged long letters with one of correspondents. The letters were published in the periodical titled Beszélő with the consent of those affected.
The Hungarian “three strikes” rule excludes the individualization of the sanctions by making it mandatory for the courts to sentence suspects to life imprisonment if certain conditions are met. The HHC claims in its motion … Read more
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which involves the review of the human rights record of all 192 UN Member States once every four years. It was created through the UN General Assembly in 2006. In this review process the UN pays special attention to the information submitted by non-governmental organizations.
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee aims to assist the UN to better assess Hungary’s human rights performance by contributing to three alternative reports within the framework of the upcoming periodic review.
In its decision dated 19 January 2010, the Equal Treatment Authority established that the mayor of Kiskunlacháza has committed harassment when stating that the settlement’s population having had enough of ‘Roma aggression’. In October 2010, … Read more
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 Comittee has claimed that the … Read more
The Government intends to solve the problem of severe overcrowding in penitentiaries by amending the respective law instead of decreasing the number of detainees. According to the recent amendments, the minimal living space for detainees … Read more
The UN Human Rights Committee on its 100th session assessed Hungary’s implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee helped the Committee’s work by preparing two shadow reports.
According to the Hungarian Helsinki Committee the public service broadcasters’ decision not to air the campaign ad of Jobbik because of its use of the term „gypsy criminality”, suggesting a strong connection between ethnicity and criminality was rightful. The term offends the dignity of hundreds of thousands, and is capable of inciting hatred. The National Election Committee’s decision granting Jobbik’s claim has formal shortcomings, factual errors and also with this decison the Committee has exceeded its authority.