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.
Continue ReadingThe Hungarian 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.
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By triggering the Article 7 procedure, the European Parliament has made it clear that illiberal democracy is against the core values of the European Union. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee welcomes that the EP has validated, with a two-third majority, the long-standing concerns over the Hungarian political system.
Continue ReadingThe human rights award of the prominent German Pro Asyl Foundation this year goes to Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s (HHC) co-chairs, Márta Pardavi and András Kristóf Kádár. The prize of the most prestigious German organization for refugees and human rights will be presented Saturday, 8 September in Frankfurt am Main.
Continue ReadingThe HHC’s brief statistical report about the key asylum figures is available online here.
Continue ReadingThe HHC’s brief statistical report about the key asylum figures is available online here.
Continue ReadingSummary of latest developments in Hungary since the April 2018 elections – Joint paper by Amnesty HU, HHC and HCLU After Fidesz’ overwhelming electoral victory in April 2018, many observers believed Prime Minister Orbán would curb his voracious appetite for turning Hungary into an illiberal state. These expectations were grievously miscalculated. An illiberal state is nearing completion in Hungary.
Continue ReadingWe put together a short document with a list of HHC publications related to key changes in the Hungarian asylum system since 2015 so that you can find the explanation of every major step easily, in one place.
Continue ReadingBudapest, 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 interim measures from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on a case-by-case basis for two weeks to ensure that authorities provide food to detained asylum seekers whose claims were found inadmissible.
Continue ReadingA 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 and the Fundamental Law but it was only put to practice now, in mid-August. The application of the new inadmissibility criterion means asylum claims are rejected and claimants become subject to alien policing procedures.
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