Background note on the consequences of the Authorization Act
The Authorization Act allows the Government to introduce significant restrictions, practically without any time limit, without any debate in the Parliament, and without any guarantee for the swift and effective constitutional review.
Emergency Law Gives Carte Blanche Powers to Government: Free Media and Human Rights Defenders Needed More Than Ever
The Hungarian Parliament adopted the so-called”Authorization Act”, allowing indefinite government rule by decree. The role of free media and a strong civil society is now more vital than ever to ensure government accountability. Fully aware of its increased responsibility, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee is reorganising its activities and intensifying its efforts to counter the destruction of the rule of law.
UNLIMITED POWER IS NOT THE PANACEA
Assessment of the proposed law to extend the state of emergency and its constitutional preconditions A carte blanche mandate for the Hungarian government with no sunset clause is not the panacea to the emergency caused by the COVID-19 virus in Hungary. We need strong rule of law safeguards and proportional and necessary emergency measures, not unlimited government rule by decree that can last beyond the actual epidemic crisis.
Customer service policy change
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New law threatens judicial independence in Hungary – again
A new law adopted on 17 December 2019 seems to be yet another attempt to make sure that politically sensitive court cases are decided in a way that is favourable for the executive power. It does not only make it possible to channel politically sensitive cases out of the ordinary court system, but also makes it harder in practice for individuals to enforce their rights vis a vis the state.
Advocate General of the CJEU: Hungarian law that restricts NGO financing from abroad is incompatible with EU law
According to the Court of Justice Advocate General’s opinion, the fact that under the Hungarian 2017 Lex NGO, civil society organisations receiving foreign donations are subject to restrictions violates the right to the protection of private life and the right to freedom of association and infringes the principle of free movement of capital. This is not justified by the general interest objectives relied on by the government of Hungary.
Timeline of undermining judicial independence 2012-2019
Judicial independence has been under constant threat and has been systematically undermined by the governing majority in Hungary in the past seven years. How did they do it? A timeline prepared by the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and Amnesty International Hungary outlines the major steps.
Recommendations aimed at restoring the independence of the judiciary in Hungary
Judicial independence is being systematically undermined in Hungary. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee and Amnesty International Hungary recommend specific steps that would remedy the long-standing systemic deficiencies of the system, thus restoring and safeguarding judicial independence.
Analysis of new Bill threatening judicial independence
The new Bill amending rules on courts, submitted on 12 November to the Hungarian Parliament, should not be adopted in its current form.
Proposed new law threatens judicial independence in Hungary – again
On 12 November 2019, the Hungarian Government submitted a Bill to the Parliament which, if adopted, will have a significant negative impact on judicial independence, however, in a much more covert and technical way than the earlier, withdrawn plan to put administrative courts under the Minister of Justice.