Equal. Brave. Free.
What we do?
Our story
The Hungarian Civil Liberties Union was founded in Budapest in 1994. Our mission has remained unchanged since then, but our activities have changed and expanded significantly over the past decades. It is no longer necessary to defend the rule of law in Hungary, but to restore it, and this requires active citizens. That is why we decided in our new strategy, adopted in 2023, to place the greatest emphasis on supporting them, while continuing our work to protect vulnerable people and bring about systemic change. In addition, green legal protection has also been included in our strategy, as we recognize that the ecological crisis will have a fundamental impact on human rights. We are also seeking to expand our tools in order to achieve real change. By 2024, the 30th anniversary of HCLU’s founding, we will have three regional offices outside Budapest, in Pécs, Debrecen, and Miskolc. We provide free legal aid to thousands of people every year, our informational materials are read by hundreds of thousands, and we hold dozens of workshops across the country.