People are free in a state where the consequences of their actions are predictable and where clean and transparent rules apply not only to them, but also to state authorities. In a state where the people know what the state expects from them, but they also know what they can expect from the state.
On 7 April 2017, a Bill on NGOs receiving foreign funds was submitted to the Hungarian Parliament, setting out that NGOs receiving foreign funds over a certain yearly threshold will have to register themselves and will have to label themselves as organizations receiving foreign funds on their website and in their publications.
RESOLUTION The work of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) is essential to Hungarian society. We conduct diverse and irreplaceable work while striving for the common good and the achievement of democracy: the self-organisation of citizens provides shared … Read more
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee, together with other 14 Hungarian human rights NGOs have urged the respective committee to recommend that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe rejects the candidates nominated by the Hungarian Government to … Read more
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee – together with 10 other NGOs – sent an open letter to the Minister of Justice requiring him to withdraw the list of candidates to the post of judge at the … Read more
The Hungarian government has filled the Constitutional Court with loyal judges to create a judicial rubber stamp for government interests, according to a study by the Eötvös Károly Institute, the HHC and the HCLU of recent Constitutional Court decisions.
An assessment of the current deficiencies of the rule of law, democracy, pluralism and respect for human rights in Hungary.
NGO factsheets on the rule of law developments in Hungary, September 2014
Hungarian NGOs and international organisations voiced concerns about the Hungarian government’s fierce crackdown on NGOs at the international human rights event of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Warsaw.
The modification of the municipal representation of the Hungarian capital, enacted on 10 June 2014, violates the basic principles of constitutionality and flies in the face of international norms and good practices on electoral rights.
Today the European Court of Human Rights concluded Hungary was in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights due to the premature termination of the Hungarian Supreme Court’s President’s mandate in early 2012. The judgment confirms concerns of the HHC, the HCLU and the Eötvös Károly Institute that Mr Baka’s dismissal violated the independence of the judiciary, and was a further step in weakening the rule of law in Hungary.
In a judgment issued today, the Court of Justice of the European Union concluded that the Data Protection Commissioner of Hungary was replaced by a new authority in an unlawful way. The judgment makes it clear that having two-thirds majority in Parliament means no exemption from complying with European norms.
Last week’s dismal decisions of the Hungarian Constitutional Court (CC), the National Electoral Commission and the Data Protection Authority (DPA) have proved former concerns of human rights NGOs correct: institutions, which ought to be independent and have the duty to guard constitutionalism have failed. They serve the interest of the government, instead of limiting its power. However, we do not gloat over this failure, since we believe that all of our fundamental rights are being jeopardized by their misconduct, as it is affecting the key public matter of democracy, the elections.
New laws adopted by the Hungarian Parliament raise concerns again in terms of human rights and the rule of law, while most of the previous objections raised by international bodies regarding Hungarian developments remain unanswered. The AEDH and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee call on the Hungarian Government to respect the values appearing in Articles 2 and 6 of the Treaty on the European Union and urge the European Union and international stakeholders to remain vigilant in following-up whether Hungary complies with their recommendations, and to closely monitor and assess new developments.
The Eötvös Károly Institute, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union criticize the abolishing of the upper age limit of 70 years in case of elected Constitutional Court judges, including current serving judges.
Opinion of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union and the Eötvös Károly Institute
The Hungarian government provided detailed comments on the so-called Tavares Report regarding the situation of fundamental rights in Hungary, which will soon be discussed by Members of the European Parliament. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC), the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU), and the Standards (Mérték) Media Monitor responded to the government’s inaccurate and unfounded comments in an analysis submitted to the factions of the European Parliament.
According to the Eötvös Károly Institute, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, the Constitutional Court’s decision to hear the President of the National Judicial Office behind closed doors undermines the transparency of decision-making by a public office, the right to freedom of information and the right to a fair trial.
Analyses and summaries in English on the problems arising in connection with the Fourth Amendment to the Fundamental Law of Hungary in terms of the rule of law and the protection of human rights.
The HHC, the HCLU and the Eötvös Károly Institute met the delegation of the Venice Commission in Budapest last week, and informed them about the severe problems arising in connection with the Fourth Amendment to the Fundamental Law of Hungary.
Three Hungarian NGOs, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, the Eötvös Károly Institute and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union addressed the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and the European Commission Vice-President, Commissioner in Charge of Justice, Human Rights and Citizenship in order to raise their attention to the planned Fourth Amendment to the Fundamental Law of Hungary, threatening the rule of law. The NGOs asked the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to request the Venice Commission to perform an analysis of the proposed amendments.