PG v. BMH
C-406/18
Topic: Refugee and migrant rights
Each year hundreds of thousands leave their home due to wars, hunger, torture and persecution globally. In Europe, although often perceived as a safe region, asylum-seekers are often met by refusal, detention and expulsion.
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee works towards providing effective assistance to those fleeing to Hungary.
The Ilias and Ahmed Grand Chamber Judgment in light of the current legal context
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (GC) delivered its judgment in the case of Ilias and Ahmed v. Hungary on 21 November 2019. In its judgment the GC affirmed the Chamber’s … Read more
Hungarian Helsinki Committee wins lawsuit against Government at Supreme Court
The Kúria (Supreme Court of Hungary) upheld the Budapest Court of Appeal’s (Fővárosi Ítélőtábla) previous final judgment in all aspects: The Hungarian Government’s 2017 National Consultation Questionnaire contained false allegations and ruined the Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s reputation. The … Read more
Ilias and Ahmed won at the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights against Hungary
Ilias and Ahmed, clients of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, have been granted EUR 5,000 each as a compensation of their non-pecuniary damages by the European Court of Human Rights. Their human rights have been violated … Read more
The man who defeated the Hungarian asylum system. Refugee status granted to Russian asylum-seeker after six years
Last week a desperate “ping-pong game” between the Hungarian asylum authority and a court in Pécs, Hungary came to an end on behalf of a man who suffered so much over years. Alexei Torubarov, who … Read more
Hungary continues to starve detainees in the transit zones
Hungary started to deprive of food some third-country nationals detained in the transit zones started in August 2018. After 5 such cases successfully challenged by the HHC with obtaining interim measures from the European Court … Read more
European Court of Human Rights orders Hungarian government to give food to detained migrants in eighth emergency case
On 15 March, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) again had to issue an emergency decision and order the Hungarian government to give food to migrants in detention in the transit zone at the … Read more
The Constitutional Court has failed to protect human right defenders
The Constitutional Court (CC) held today that the Criminal Code amendment by the “Stop Soros” package is constitutional. Although the CC concluded that it would be unacceptable if those who selflessly assist asylum seekers were … Read more
The Immigration and Asylum Office continues to ignore court decisions and interim measures
The Hungarian Immigration and Asylum Office (IAO) ignored the instructions of domestic courts regarding the placement of applicants in facilities other than the transit zones on several occasions. The IAO also continues its practice of … Read more
Ahmed v. BÁH
C-369/17
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee takes legal action to challenge the anti-NGO laws
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC) filed a complaint with the Hungarian Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) against the new criminal provision threatening with imprisonment those assisting asylum seekers. As for … Read more
All asylum seekers finally get food in the transit zones at the border
Budapest, 23 August 2018 After two weeks, all asylum seekers in the transit zones are now receiving food as a result of the intervention of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC). The HHC had to request … Read more
Hungary: Asylum-seekers with Inadmissible Claims are Denied Food in the Transit Zones at the Border
A new inadmissibility ground, a hybrid of the concepts of safe third country and first country of asylum, is in effect since 1 July 2018. The new provision stems from amendments to the Asylum Act … Read more
Grand Chamber hearing in case of asylum-seekers held in transit zone
On 18 April 2018 at 09:15 am CET, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) held an open hearing in the case of Ilias and Ahmed v. Hungary. It concerned the detention … Read more
No more psychological testing of asylum seekers to determine sexual orientation in Hungary
Following the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in January of this year, the Administrative and Labour Court, Szeged repealed the decision of the Hungarian Immigration and Asylum Office which … Read more
Helsinki Committee Wins Lawsuit Against Cabinet Office Over Stop Soros National Consultation
Today the Metropolitan Court of Budapest in its first instance ruling found that in the ‘National Consultation’ questionnaire, the Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister had violated the Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s right to good reputation. … Read more
C-473/16 F
The case is about whether the “homosexuality test” is compliant with the EU law. Full summary can be found here. Full case can be found here.
No more humiliating and stigmatizing “psychological testing” of sexual orientation in asylum procedures
Today’s ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) is the result of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s (HHC) decade-long struggle to put an end to the humiliating and stigmatizing psychological testing of … Read more
Partial success in the “National Consultation” lawsuit
A final order of the court required the Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister to suspend the distribution of the “National Consultation questionnaires” by post and online, at least the part that refers to the … Read more
The Helsinki Committee filed a lawsuit against the government for the “National Consultation”
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee went to court on 1 October 2017 because of the misleading statements of the “National Consultation questionnaire” that misrepresent facts. HHC wants the court to establish that the statements in the … Read more