Anybody may become defenceless in the face of the state’s power.
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.
In March 2009, the Tatabánya City Court ordered the pre-trial detention of Mrs Ferenc Kovács, an ill, 83 year-old lady in her absence in the course of a criminal investigation that had been ongoing for … Read more
The excessive and lengthy use of pre-trial detention continues to be a serious problem throughout the Central Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union (CEE-FSU) region, and the practice of pre-trial detention in most countries … Read more
The Metropolitan Court in its judgment of November 5 acquitted Róbert Kiss, the leader of the ‘New Hungarian Guard’ of the charges of the abuse of right to assembly. According to the judge the Court should deliver its judgement on the basis of the “prevailing order in the country” and not according to the rule of law. This reasoning is especially problematic when the judge refers to the views of a particular political party.
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee commented the draft law on the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture (OPCAT). The HHC welcomes the ratification of the OPCAT and the designation of the ombudsman as the national preventive mechanism. We are dissapointed however that the draft law does not cover all types of places of detention. We are concerned that NGOs which already acquired significant experience in monitoring detention are excluded from the national preventive mechanism which would start its operation only in 2015.
The Hungarian Civil Liberties Union and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee jointly commented on the new draft law on petty offence. The two human rights watchdog NGOs draw the attention to provisions violating the international and domestic law.
The HCLU and the HHC protest against the decision of the Police banning planned demonstrations of trade unions in front of the Parliament and in the Castle in Budapest. The NGOs claim that the ban has no valid reasons and violates the right to assembly of trade union members. The HCLU helps trade unions to challenge the decision before the court.
According to the NGOs’ view, the proposed amendments would allow the prosecutor to prohibit the attorney to attend the hearing of the witness. On the other hand it is a positive step that the draft law would ensure the right of appeal in case of placement in special security cells.
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee submitted a 17-page analysis at the request of the parliamentary Committee investigating the Gyöngyöspata events. According to the HHC, the mandate for the Committee of Inquiry raises concerns as it fails … Read more
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.
The head of an extremist group (Betyársereg) cooperating with the parliamentary party Jobbik incited its audience to kill Jews, Roma and people who have “a different color skin” at a festival in Verőce.
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee urges the Prosecutor’s Office to investigate the case and the Prime Minister and the President of Hungary to condemn the manifestations of hatred. The Helsinki Committee reminds that these steps are especially important considering the high level of intolerance towards minorities in the country.
The HHC’s co-chair represented László Karsai, is a Hungarian historian and university professor before the European Court of Human Rights in a case concerning the applicant’s freedom of expression. In 2004 there was a public … Read more
Hungary violated inhuman and degrading treatment ban – HHC wins another case in Strasbourg human rights court