Hungary’s continuing crackdown on civil society took an even more draconian turn on 20 June 2018 when Parliament adopted a bill that will criminalize a range of lawful activities in support of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants, said Amnesty International. A separate bill proposing a “seventh amendment” to the Constitution — requiring state authorities to protect Hungary’s “Christian culture” — was also adopted and will ban the settlement of foreign populations; restrict people’s ability to peacefully protest; undermine the independence of the judiciary; and criminalize homelessness.
Amnesty International urges the Hungarian authorities to stop these laws from entering into force and to ensure that Hungary complies in full with its international and regional human rights commitments.