HCLU News & Projects

Report on Gyöngyöspata Marks the Final Goodbye of the Minority Ombudsman

31 January, 2012 - 15:42

“Gyöngyöspata is a frightening example of „law and order”. Do we really want to set this as an example?” – the first sentence of the report already suggests the essence of Ernő Kállai’s observations. In December, the minority ombudsman published his report on public employment, the procedural practice of minor offense authorities, and the state of education in Gyöngyöspata. In his report, Ernő Kállai demonstrates the effects of measures taken on the public morale and the cohabitation of Roma and non-Roma since his investigation in the spring.

HCLU

Journalist Wins Defamation Lawsuit

27 January, 2012 - 17:53

Lajos Gubcsi, former Director of Zrínyi Media Ltd. – a background institution of the Ministry of National Defense – initiated a defamation lawsuit against József Spirk, journalist of Index.hu, the leading online news provider in Hungary. The HCLU’s Legal Aid Service provided legal representation. The court ruled that facts written in the article were well-founded and as a result ruled in favor of the journalist. The ruling is final.

HCLU

Joint position paper put forward by NGOs on the Hungarian Media Law and its Application

19 January, 2012 - 22:36

Hungarian Europe Society, Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, Eötvös Károly Public Policy Institute, Standard (Mérték) Media Monitor put forward a joint position paper to the High Level Group on Media Freedom and Pluralism created by the European Commission on the Hungarian Media Law and its Application.

HCLU

Hungarian Government Unable to Defend Its Own Decisions – Human Rights NGOs sent an alternative answer to Viviane Reding, European Commission Vice-President

5 January, 2012 - 16:46

The Eötvös Károly Institute, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and the HCLU sent an alternative answer to Viviane Reding, European Commission Vice-President, Commissioner in charge of Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, with a detailed answer to the questions asked of the Hungarian Government. NGOs state that the government's answers to the serious concerns regarding the independence of the judiciary system and abolition of the Data Protection Commissioner do not prove the government's dedication to democracy and from a professional point of view, its answers are unjustifiable.

HCLU

Partner, not a target group

2 January, 2012 - 15:14

The video introduction of HCLU's 'Roma Program not only for Romas'

HCLU

Still Many Black Holes in the Media Law - The Constitutional Court’s intervention is welcomed, but it’s only the tip of the iceberg

21 December, 2011 - 12:30

The Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU) welcomes the December 19th decisions of the Constitutional Court, which – partly due to the HCLU’S motion – found parts of the new media law to be unconstitutional. At the same time, the HCLU regrets that the Constitutional Court did not carry out a full review on the media law, which would have been necessary in order to reinstall freedom of the press in Hungary.

HCLU

They harrass the homeless people! - an HCLU video

21 December, 2011 - 13:19

About the criminalisation of homeless people.

HCLU

Measures of the Orbán-government are a threat to democracy

19 December, 2011 - 15:13

By today, the situation created by the inability of all Hungarian ruling governments since the transition in 1989 to reform the education, pension and health care systems has become unbearable. The political elite has failed in every aspect. The currently ruling Orban-government is proving over and over again why there is a great need for the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union. The only question that remains to be answered is how to involve people in the work and the supporting of the HCLU, says Balázs Dénes, Executive Director of the organization.

HCLU

People Living with HIV Discriminated by the Health Care System

16 December, 2011 - 09:18

People living with HIV and AIDS often face refusal during their non-HIV-related health care, and are directed to the out-patient HIV-unit of Szent László Hospital, the only hospital in Hungary to provide ARV-treatment and care for PLWHIV.

HCLU

Network of Low HIV-Prevalence Countries of Central and Southeast Europe (NeLP) - Policy meeting, Budapest, June 25-27, 2011

15 December, 2011 - 15:53

NeLP is the Network of Low HIV-Prevalence Countries in Central and South East Europe.

The initiative for NeLP came from the HIV/AIDS programme of HCLU, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union.

East East: Partnership Beyond Borders Program of Foundations Open Society Institute provided funding for the Budapest meeting and the NeLP website (www.nelp-hiv.org) with additional support from EATG, the European AIDS Treatment Group and International HIV Partnerships.

HCLU

Dozens of International Organizations Protested the Planned Reallocation of Abortion Funds from State Budget

15 December, 2011 - 11:24

István Pálffy and Tamás Sáringer-Kenyeres, both MPs of the Christian Democratic Party (KDNP) have submitted a proposal to Parliament to reallocate funds from abortions to child protection and to incite adoptions. 45 organizations called the government’s attention to the fact that in case the Parliament were to adopt the proposal, the most vulnerable women would find themselves in even worse situations and that the proposal is against Hungary’s international commitments. The Parliament voted on the proposal on December 13th.