Hungarian Helsinki Committee

NEWS

SUPPORTING HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY WITHOUT SPENDING A FORINT

Did you know that if you live and pay taxes in Hungary you can offer 1% of your annual income tax to a public benefit organisation? This offers crucial support to civil society and important, life-changing causes. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee is a leading human rights organisation in Central Europe. For 30 years, we have been courageously defending the rule of law, equality, freedom and refugees’ right to protection. Our tax number is: 19013983-1-42.

GIVE FOOD TO DETAINED MIGRANTS

The European Court of Human Rights 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 southern border. This is now the eighth case since August 2018 where the Hungarian Helsinki Committee had successfully secured emergency orders from the ECtHR.

HUNGARY MOVING BEYOND RED LINES

The Hungarian government is moving fast to breach the red lines drawn by the EP to complete its illiberal state. The joint paper of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Amnesty International Hungary, and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union summarizes the developments related to the rule of law in Hungary between September 2018 and January 2019.

European Court of Human Rights cases

The independence of courts is threatened in Hungary. In 2019, a complete redesign of administrative courts is carried out to set up special courts to deal with high-profile cases from taxation to environmental protection to competition to freedom of assembly and asylum cases. On this page, you can find the analyses, opinions and records of activities of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee on the unfolding change of the court system.

When we turn to the European Court of Human Rights, generally we try to draw attention to those structural problems which are not or cannot be remedied by the Hungarian authorities and courts: dismissal of public officials without justification, inhuman circumstances of detention, or unreasonable deprivation of one’s personal freedom.

"The Hungarian Helsinki Committee has a fundamental role in securing the accountability of the state and also in providing immediate assistance to victims. At the same time they are an indispensible source of information for their partners and international organizations."

Nils Muižnieks
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
“I am really grateful to you… I have never received so much help from anyone.”

Milán
former client
“We would need more organizations like yours! Good luck!”

Antal
“We are proud of your work and wish you success!”

Csabi and Judit
“Thank you very much for your kindness and assistance in sending the right answers to my questions.”

László, our client
“We just love you!”

a Migration Aid volunteer
Nyugati railway station
“The Helsinki team has managed to stay calm even in the midst of chaos and panic and they were able to reason professionally while working in the field at the same time. I do not know how long their working days were, but they have become my most important source of information when it came to following legal developments. Respect!”

Ágnes Urbán
Budapest
“Hang in there! It is super what you are doing!”

Dósa Mariann
The City is for All, Közélet Iskolája
"Wholehearted thank you for your answer and for the all-embracing information provided by you. My empathy tells me that short-changed people and victims of aggressive crimes undergo such pain while they live their lives in numbness and solitude. I heard from the news and other sources of information that sometimes even those in power disagree with you, therefore please do not give up your work for the people! Staying human is an obligation!”

Pál
Budapest
"I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for asking me and taking my professional expertise into consideration during your work. I wish you and all your colleagues good health and success in your future endeavours!”

Mendege Györgyi
retired police lieutenant colonel

REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS

We provide free legal assistance to asylum seekers, stateless persons and unaccompanied minors in Hungary. Reuniting separated families is one of our main objectives. Through our training and research activities, we foster a high-quality, effective and humane asylum procedure – both inside Hungary and in other parts of the world. We combat xenophobia.

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE

We aim at decreasing the defenceless of people: we provide support to those in contact with the police and the penitentiary system, and we provide legal advice and representation to victims of ill-treatment by official persons or other severe abuses. In addition, we regularly monitor prisons and other places of detention in order to make closed institutions more transparent.

RULE OF LAW

People are free in a state where the consequences of their actions are predictable and where clean and transparent rules apply not only to the individuals, but also to state authorities. Where the state power has no clear limits, there is no individual freedom either. It is important for us that the Hungarian democracy operates on the basis of the rule of law – that is why we step up in its defence.

EQUAL TREATMENT

Everybody should be treated equally; however, we still experience discrimination at many areas of life. For example, members of minorities can be victims of hate crime. We primarily provide legal aid for detainees and asylum seekers fighting against discrimination.

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee