human rights

February 05, 2010, 10:24 CET

Media under spotlight at human rights conference in Budapest

The segregation of Hungary's Roma community and the role of the media in sustaining prejudices against them were in the focus of a Budapest human rights conference on Thursday. The conference had the aim to assess progress in human rights... [read complete entry]

January 13, 2010, 09:38 CET

Freedom House calls Hungary a stable democracy in latest report

Hungary continues to be a stable democracy, human rights watchdog Freedom House says in its latest report, in which it awards the country top marks for the respect of political and civil rights. Hungary, Bulgaria and Latvia were the CEE... [read complete entry]

January 11, 2010, 12:36 CET

Sólyom says PM free to call Jobbik "undemocratic" party

Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai's labelling the radical nationalist Jobbik party "undemocratic" falls under his right to a freedom of opinion, a senior official of the President's Office told MTI on Friday. Ferenc Kumin responded to a letter sent to President... [read complete entry]

December 17, 2009, 10:09 CET

Hungary ready to turn to European Court over Slovak barring of President

The European Commission agreed with Hungary in so far as Slovakia had mistakenly referred to community guidelines when it denied Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom entry in August, Foreign Affairs Spokeswoman Zsuzsanna Matrai told MTI on Wednesday. President Laszlo Solyom had... [read complete entry]

December 16, 2009, 09:35 CET

Supreme Court upholds ban on Magyar Gárda

The Supreme Court dissolved the far-right Magyar Gárda society and movement on Tuesday, upholding an earlier ruling issued by the Budapest Court of Appeals. The prosecutor's office launched a civil lawsuit to have the group dissolved two years ago, arguing... [read complete entry]

December 07, 2009, 09:25 CET

Far-right activist Budaházy sentenced under watch of hundreds of police

The Supreme Court on Thursday approved its binding court ruling that far-right activist György Budaházy should perform 30 days of community service for his role in the Elisabeth Bridge blockade of 2002. Budaházy entered the court in handcuffs, as he... [read complete entry]

December 01, 2009, 10:08 CET

Hungarian MPs concerned about Ukraine's policy towards ethnic minority

The Hungarian Parliament on Monday approved a political statement voicing concern over Ukrainian measures discriminating against the ethnic Hungarian minority. The document cautions that "frequent anti-minority expressions" in the Ukrainian media may lead to a deterioration of relations between communities... [read complete entry]

October 08, 2009, 11:20 CET

Canada calls for measures on Hungarian asylum-seekers

The Canadian government has called on Hungary to take measures to reduce the number of Hungarian asylum-seekers, Canadian news agency Canwest News Service reported on Wednesday. According to the report, Canada's airports have been flooded by an unexpectedly large number... [read complete entry]

October 05, 2009, 10:06 CET

Roma campaigner to lead march on Budapest

Roma rights activist László Kállai is walking from Jászladány, central Hungary to Budapest in protest against "the destructive discrimination of Roma". Kállai said he wants to arrive at Heroes' Square next Sunday at the head of thousands of demonstrators, with... [read complete entry]

September 23, 2009, 09:44 CET

Election Committee gives okay for referendum on gender equality in voting

Hungary's National Election Committee (OVB) on Tuesday gave the go-ahead for the collection of signatures for a referendum initiative which seeks to ensure that election lists are composed of an equal number of men and women. Under the initiative, all... [read complete entry]

September 23, 2009, 09:14 CET

Divided parliamentary committee moves to include religion in national census

Parliament's Committee on Human Rights and Minority, Civil and Religious Affairs voted on Monday to pass a motion proposed by Fidesz which would include a voluntary question on religious views in the next census, to be held in 2011, hvg.hu... [read complete entry]

August 13, 2009, 09:58 CET

Minister says police will disperse neo-Nazi demonstrators

Minister of Justice and Law Enforcement Tibor Draskovics confirmed that Hungarian police would disperse neo-Nazi marches planned in the capital city on Saturday. "No one championing the Nazi ideology should be allowed to assemble in Hungary. Police have to prevent... [read complete entry]

August 12, 2009, 10:50 CET

Socialist Party joins calls for banning neo-Nazi march

The ruling Socialist Party has called on the police to prevent a march planned by neo-Nazi groups to mark the death anniversary of Nazi leader Rudolf Hess, Socialist MP Gergely Barandy told MTI on Tuesday. On basis of international agreements... [read complete entry]

July 13, 2009, 10:52 CET

President reportedly turns down requests for meeting with gay rights groups

President László Sólyom has refused a weekend request for a meeting from gay organisations, citing a busy schedule. In seeking a meeting, the groups pointed out that radical nationalist organisations such as Jobbik, the Magyar Gárda, the 64 Counties Youth... [read complete entry]

June 19, 2009, 11:18 CET

Federation of gay Hungarians seeks president's help against extremists

Hungary's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender federation has asked for talks with President Laszlo Solyom to support efforts seeking protection against threats by extremist groups, an executive of the federation told reporters on Thursday. The radical nationalist Jobbik party and... [read complete entry]

June 12, 2009, 09:42 CET

Complaints board says police action against demonstrators improper

Hungary's Independent Police Complaints Authority has concluded that the police had breached rules of conduct when apprehending two men at a commemoration of the March 15 national holiday, according to a report sent to MTI on Thursday. The authority has... [read complete entry]

June 02, 2009, 08:31 CET

SZDSZ urges Bajnai to push bill on releasing communist-era files

Hungary's liberal opposition Free Democrats (SZDSZ) have asked Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai to state when the government intends to complete a legislation on making classified files on Hungary's communist past public, liberal MP Jozsef Gulyas told MTI on Saturday. Gulyas,... [read complete entry]

May 28, 2009, 10:59 CET

Amnesty International raps Hungary on Roma rights, lack of speech curbs

The Hungarian Roma community is still forced to suffer discrimination in every area of life, and gays too must contend with the intolerance of violent groups, according to a report by Amnesty International published on Thursday. The world's largest human... [read complete entry]

May 19, 2009, 08:54 CET

Liberals initiate four-party talks on criminalizing Holocaust denial

Hungary's liberal Free Democrats initiate talks among the four parliamentary parties on how to make Holocaust denial punishable by law, the chairman of the party said on Monday. Speaking in Parliament, Gabor Fodor said the Free Democrats continued to advocate... [read complete entry]

May 13, 2009, 08:41 CET

Hungary elected to UN Human Rights Council

The General Assembly of the United Nations elected Hungary into its Human Rights Council, Hungary's UN Ambassador Gabor Brodi said on Tuesday. Hungary received 131 votes, while the other Eastern European state, Russia, which was also elected, received 146. The... [read complete entry]

May 05, 2009, 09:51 CET

Parliament rights committee head gives justice minister ceremonial "boot"

Fidesz MP Zoltán Balog, tried to give Justice and Law Enforcement Minister Tibor Draskovics a police boot on behalf of the NGO Szabadság Kör in Parliament yesterday, to recall police brutality since 2006, and alleged violation of human rights at... [read complete entry]

March 02, 2009, 01:28 CET

Gyurcsány says gov't to initiate amendment of Constitution on hate speech

Hungary's government will initiate amending the constitution to limit the freedom of expression by restricting racist expression, Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany told news portal Hirszerzo on Monday morning.... [read complete entry]

February 18, 2009, 09:49 CET

Budapest, Washington begin exploratory talks on Guantanamo detainees

Hungary is in talks with the US on the possibility of accepting former detainees from the Guantanamo Bay detention centre, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lajos Szelestey said Tuesday. In principle, Hungary could receive former prisoners, but no specifics have been agreed... [read complete entry]

July 09, 2008, 08:18 CET

European court overturns Hungarian prohibition on "communist" star

Strasbourg decision leaves ban on swastika, arrow-cross. [read complete entry]

May 29, 2008, 02:33 CET

Amnesty report highlights plight of Hungarian women, minorities

Amnesty International has published its 2008 study into human rights around the world, stressing need to address domestic violence and discrimination against women, while recognizing progress made in tackling police brutality. [read complete entry]