| Author (Corporate) | Cardiff EDC (Compiler) |
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| Publication Date | May 2018 |
| Content Type | News |
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Summary: On 29 May 2018, a draft law that criminalises people or groups helping illegal migrants was submitted to the Hungarian Parliament for its approval. On the 20 June 2018 law was adopted by the Hungarian Parliament . A separate bill proposing a 'seventh amendment' to the Constitution was also adopted. This bill requires state authorities to protect Hungary’s 'Christian culture' and bans the settlement of foreign populations; restricts people’s ability to peacefully protest; undermines the independence of the judiciary; and criminalises homelessness. Further information: Since 2015, when thousands of migrants passed through Hungary in order to reach the Northern States, Viktor Orbán’s government had based its political programme on anti-immigration. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had also proposed amending the constitution to state that an 'alien population' cannot be settled in Hungary, rejecting European Union quotas to distribute migrants around the bloc. The bill that was under discussion was named 'Stop Soros' because it targeted organisations funded by George Soros, an Hungarian-American philanthropist supporting migrants but portrayed by Hungarian government as backer of illegal migration. The bill already allowed the interior minister to ban NGOs deemed to pose a 'national security risk' and imposes a 25% tax on foreign donations made to groups that openly supported migration. Rights activists expressed their concerns about the bill because of the potential for any NGOs working to give legal or other aid to migrants arriving at Hungary’s borders to fall under the definition of supporting illegal migration. The move was condemned by the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR for encouraging 'rising xenophobic attitudes'. Amnesty International also urged the Hungarian authorities to stop these laws from entering into force and to ensure that Hungary complied in full with its international and regional human rights commitments. |
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| Subject Categories | Law |
| Subject Tags | Constitutional Law, Migration | Immigration |
| Countries / Regions | Hungary |
