The HHC 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 the so-called ‘special tax on immigration’ this law can only be challenged in Strasbourg, as the ruling majority deprived the Constitutional Court of its right to review tax laws years ago. 

Un-faking the government’s claims on administrative courts

The Hungarian Government proposes to establish a new administrative court system. There are no professional reasons behind setting up a new administrative court system and the government has also failed to provide any professional arguments. The decisions on the new court system are made behind closed doors which violates the public’s right to know.

Blurring the Boundaries: New Laws on Administrative Courts Undermine Judicial Independence

Judicial independence is now in jeopardy in Hungary. A new draft legislative package that limits judicial independence is a serious threat to the rule of law in Hungary and runs counter to values Hungary signed up to when it joined the European Union.

No need for the HHC to pay the special tax

The Helsinki Committee is not involved in any activity which would fall under the scope of the new law.  As a first step the new law affects donors and our supporters are the European Union and the United Nations, which are exempt from paying tax in Hungary.

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.