Latest news with #HungarianHelsinkiCommittee
NDTV
6 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
'Noble To Attend': Budapest Prepares For 'Banned' Pride March
Defiant about potential fines after police declared a ban, organisers and volunteers are working to ensure Saturday's Budapest Pride march is the largest Hungary has ever seen. "This legal wrangling only made many feel compelled to express their solidarity," 25-year-old engineering student Csanad Sebesy told AFP. "Now it is more noble to attend," he added. Sebesy is one of the record number of people -- more than 250 -- organisers said have applied to help at the parade despite the threat of penalties. He volunteered last year too, but said the preparatory training this time focussed more on legal issues. "I really liked that because there were concerns about the event existing in a legal grey area." Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced in February that he intended to ban the Pride celebration. Within weeks, the government had codified into law and the constitution provisions designed to prohibit the annual march. Those changes -- condemned by the European Union and rights groups -- advance the years-long clampdown on LGBTQ rights in the central European country. They allow authorities to fine organisers and attendees of a banned event up to 500 euros ($570) and empower police to use facial recognition to identify offenders. 'I Don't Give A Damn' The organisers and Budapest city council tried to exploit a legal loophole to allow the parade to proceed but police still issued a ban. The capital's progressive mayor, Gergely Karacsony, insisted the march would go ahead regardless. He said the police decision had "no value" because a municipal event does not require formal authorisation. For many volunteers, this is the first time they have applied to help at the march. "After seeing the proposed legislation, I felt I had two options -- either I could completely collapse and not get up for three days or I could quickly figure out how to help," said Emma Elefanti. The 26-year-old student said she hoped in this way to support her loved ones in the LGBTQ community. "I don't care about being fined. It's not a meaningful deterrent. I'll gladly participate to help out the community," she told AFP. Marta Aleva volunteered to show that threats don't work. "Even if it's 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) and we have to cover ourselves in mosquito repellent and sunscreen, we have to be there now," said the lawyer. "I don't give a damn about the ban." 'Psychological Pressure' The Hungarian Helsinki Committee and two other rights groups have pledged to provide legal aid to attendees facing fines. Support is pouring in from abroad as well, with solidarity messages for Hungary's LGBTQ community displayed at Pride celebrations across Europe. Dozens of European Parliament lawmakers are due to attend the Budapest march and the assembly has promised to share safety tips. European Equalities Commissioner Hadja Lahbib and ministers from several EU countries are expected, organisers said. Under Orban, Hungary has progressively rolled back LGBTQ rights in the name of "child protection". The government's targeting of the parade has caused "immense psychological pressure" for volunteers, the head of the organising foundation, Viktoria Radvanyi, told AFP. But they dismissed Orban's warning about not wasting "money and time" on this year's parade, spending hours on tasks as mundane as inventories of high-visibility jackets. Since the ban was imposed, they also face a one-year prison sentence for continuing preparations. 'Not Permissible' Despite the pressure, Radvani predicted this year's Pride would be "largest Hungary ever seen", surpassing the estimated 35,000 attendees of past years. "We're not just standing up for ourselves... If this law isn't overturned, eastern Europe could face a wave of similar measures," she explained. "We have seen many historical examples of what happens when people deprived of rights simply bow down." Orban claimed the Pride celebration could still be held -- under specific conditions. "But it is not permissible to march through the city or engage in behaviour that we believe is contrary to the interests of children," he told French LCI TV this month. The government suggested Kincsem Park racecourse or Puskas Stadium in Budapest as possible venues. But volunteer Sebesy predicted efforts to prevent the public parade would ultimately be in vain. "They can't change moral standards with regulations," he said. "Society has grown more accepting. I feel absolutely comfortable in Hungary as a gay man."
France 24
13 hours ago
- Politics
- France 24
'Noble to attend': Budapest prepares for 'banned' Pride march
"This legal wrangling only made many feel compelled to express their solidarity," 25-year-old engineering student Csanad Sebesy told AFP. "Now it is more noble to attend," he added. Sebesy is one of the record number of people -- more than 250 -- organisers said have applied to help at the parade despite the threat of penalties. He volunteered last year too, but said the preparatory training this time focussed more on legal issues. "I really liked that because there were concerns about the event existing in a legal grey area." Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced in February that he intended to ban the Pride celebration. Within weeks, the government had codified into law and the constitution provisions designed to prohibit the annual march. Those changes -- condemned by the European Union and rights groups -- advance the years-long clampdown on LGBTQ rights in the central European country. They allow authorities to fine organisers and attendees of a banned event up to 500 euros ($570) and empower police to use facial recognition to identify offenders. 'I don't give a damn' The organisers and Budapest city council tried to exploit a legal loophole to allow the parade to proceed but police still issued a ban. The capital's progressive mayor, Gergely Karacsony, insisted the march would go ahead regardless. He said the police decision had "no value" because a municipal event does not require formal authorisation. For many volunteers, this is the first time they have applied to help at the march. "After seeing the proposed legislation, I felt I had two options -- either I could completely collapse and not get up for three days or I could quickly figure out how to help," said Emma Elefanti. The 26-year-old student said she hoped in this way to support her loved ones in the LGBTQ community. "I don't care about being fined. It's not a meaningful deterrent. I'll gladly participate to help out the community," she told AFP. Marta Aleva volunteered to show that threats don't work. "Even if it's 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) and we have to cover ourselves in mosquito repellent and sunscreen, we have to be there now," said the lawyer. "I don't give a damn about the ban." 'Psychological pressure' The Hungarian Helsinki Committee and two other rights groups have pledged to provide legal aid to attendees facing fines. Support is pouring in from abroad as well, with solidarity messages for Hungary's LGBTQ community displayed at Pride celebrations across Europe. Dozens of European Parliament lawmakers are due to attend the Budapest march and the assembly has promised to share safety tips. European Equalities Commissioner Hadja Lahbib and ministers from several EU countries are expected, organisers said. Under Orban, Hungary has progressively rolled back LGBTQ rights in the name of "child protection". The government's targeting of the parade has caused "immense psychological pressure" for volunteers, the head of the organising foundation, Viktoria Radvanyi, told AFP. But they dismissed Orban's warning about not wasting "money and time" on this year's parade, spending hours on tasks as mundane as inventories of high-visibility jackets. Since the ban was imposed, they also face a one-year prison sentence for continuing preparations. 'Not permissible' Despite the pressure, Radvani predicted this year's Pride would be "largest Hungary ever seen", surpassing the estimated 35,000 attendees of past years. "We're not just standing up for ourselves... If this law isn't overturned, eastern Europe could face a wave of similar measures," she explained. "We have seen many historical examples of what happens when people deprived of rights simply bow down." "But it is not permissible to march through the city or engage in behaviour that we believe is contrary to the interests of children," he told French LCI TV this month. The government suggested Kincsem Park racecourse or Puskas Stadium in Budapest as possible venues. But volunteer Sebesy predicted efforts to prevent the public parade would ultimately be in vain. "They can't change moral standards with regulations," he said. © 2025 AFP
Int'l Business Times
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
'Noble To Attend': Budapest Prepares For 'Banned' Pride March
Defiant about potential fines after police declared a ban, organisers and volunteers are working to ensure Saturday's Budapest Pride march is the largest Hungary has ever seen. "This legal wrangling only made many feel compelled to express their solidarity," 25-year-old engineering student Csanad Sebesy told AFP. "Now it is more noble to attend," he added. Sebesy is one of the record number of people -- more than 250 -- organisers said have applied to help at the parade despite the threat of penalties. He volunteered last year too, but said the preparatory training this time focussed more on legal issues. "I really liked that because there were concerns about the event existing in a legal grey area." Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced in February that he intended to ban the Pride celebration. Within weeks, the government had codified into law and the constitution provisions designed to prohibit the annual march. Those changes -- condemned by the European Union and rights groups -- advance the years-long clampdown on LGBTQ rights in the central European country. They allow authorities to fine organisers and attendees of a banned event up to 500 euros ($570) and empower police to use facial recognition to identify offenders. The organisers and Budapest city council tried to exploit a legal loophole to allow the parade to proceed but police still issued a ban. The capital's progressive mayor, Gergely Karacsony, insisted the march would go ahead regardless. He said the police decision had "no value" because a municipal event does not require formal authorisation. For many volunteers, this is the first time they have applied to help at the march. "After seeing the proposed legislation, I felt I had two options -- either I could completely collapse and not get up for three days or I could quickly figure out how to help," said Emma Elefanti. The 26-year-old student said she hoped in this way to support her loved ones in the LGBTQ community. "I don't care about being fined. It's not a meaningful deterrent. I'll gladly participate to help out the community," she told AFP. Marta Aleva volunteered to show that threats don't work. "Even if it's 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) and we have to cover ourselves in mosquito repellent and sunscreen, we have to be there now," said the lawyer. "I don't give a damn about the ban." The Hungarian Helsinki Committee and two other rights groups have pledged to provide legal aid to attendees facing fines. Support is pouring in from abroad as well, with solidarity messages for Hungary's LGBTQ community displayed at Pride celebrations across Europe. Dozens of European Parliament lawmakers are due to attend the Budapest march and the assembly has promised to share safety tips. European Equalities Commissioner Hadja Lahbib and ministers from several EU countries are expected, organisers said. Under Orban, Hungary has progressively rolled back LGBTQ rights in the name of "child protection". The government's targeting of the parade has caused "immense psychological pressure" for volunteers, the head of the organising foundation, Viktoria Radvanyi, told AFP. But they dismissed Orban's warning about not wasting "money and time" on this year's parade, spending hours on tasks as mundane as inventories of high-visibility jackets. Since the ban was imposed, they also face a one-year prison sentence for continuing preparations. Despite the pressure, Radvani predicted this year's Pride would be "largest Hungary ever seen", surpassing the estimated 35,000 attendees of past years. "We're not just standing up for ourselves... If this law isn't overturned, eastern Europe could face a wave of similar measures," she explained. "We have seen many historical examples of what happens when people deprived of rights simply bow down." "But it is not permissible to march through the city or engage in behaviour that we believe is contrary to the interests of children," he told French LCI TV this month. The government suggested Kincsem Park racecourse or Puskas Stadium in Budapest as possible venues. But volunteer Sebesy predicted efforts to prevent the public parade would ultimately be in vain. "They can't change moral standards with regulations," he said. "Society has grown more accepting. I feel absolutely comfortable in Hungary as a gay man." A placard depicting PM Viktor Orban at a protest in Budapest against restrictions on freedom of assembly AFP
The Guardian
14-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Hungary poised to adopt constitutional amendment to ban LGBTQ+ gatherings
Hungarian lawmakers are expected to vote in a controversial constitutional amendment on Monday that rights campaigners have described as a 'significant escalation' in the government's efforts to crackdown on dissent and chip away at human rights. Backed by the prime minister, Viktor Orbán, and his rightwing populist party, Fidesz, the amendment seeks to codify the government's recent ban on Pride events, paving the way for authorities to use facial recognition software to identify attenders and potentially fine them. The amendment, which the government says prioritises the protection of children's physical, mental and moral development, also enshrines the recognition of only two sexes, providing a constitutional basis for denying the gender identities of some in Hungary. After Orbán's repeated claims of foreign interference in the country's politics, the amendment will also allow the government to temporarily suspend Hungarian citizenship in the case of dual nationals deemed to pose a threat to the country's security or sovereignty. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a rights group, described the amendment as a means of 'legislating fear' in the EU country. 'These laws represent a significant escalation in the government's efforts to suppress dissent, weaken human rights protection and consolidate its grip on power,' it said in a statement. The opposition Momentum party highlighted similarities with restrictions in Russia. Much like Vladimir Putin, Orbán has sought to portray himself as a champion of traditional family values, ushering in policies that include blocking same-sex couples from adopting children and barring any mention of LGBTQ+ issues in school education programmes. Momentum has issued a call on social media for Hungarians to join it in a blockade of the country's parliament on Monday, in the hope of keeping lawmakers from voting in the legislation. 'Let's collectively prevent them from leading us down the Putin road and depriving us of our freedom,' it said. The constitutional amendment is expected to be approved almost a month after lawmakers fast-tracked a law that banned public events held by LGBTQ+ communities. Thousands of people have since taken to the streets, blocking bridges and major thoroughfares with chants of 'democracy' and 'assembly is a fundamental right' in weekly protests. 'This government isn't just dismantling democracy brick by brick, it's now going at it with a bulldozer,' Ákos Hadházy, an independent lawmaker who campaigns alongside Momentum, said at a recent rally, according to Bloomberg. 'We are here because we need to act fast to get ahead and stop it.' Orbán and his government have said their aim is to protect children from what they describe as 'sexual propaganda', but analysts have pointed to forthcoming elections to argue that the country's LGBTQ+ minority is being scapegoated by a government intent on mobilising its conservative base. Orbán, who has long faced criticism for weakening democratic institutions and gradually undermining the rule of law, is facing an unprecedented challenge from a former member of the Fidesz party's elite, Péter Magyar, before next year's elections. As news of the Pride ban broke last month, 22 European embassies in Hungary, including those of the UK, France and Germany, issued a joint statement saying they were deeply concerned that the legislation would result in 'restrictions on the right of peaceful assembly and the freedom of expression'. The EU's equality commissioner, Hadja Lahbib, also weighed in, writing on social media: 'Everyone should be able to be who they are, live & love freely. The right to gather peacefully is a fundamental right to be championed across the European Union. We stand with the LGBTQI community – in Hungary & in all member states.' Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion The organisers of Budapest Pride, which regularly attracts tens of thousands of people, said they were determined to go ahead with this year's march on 28 June. 'This is not child protection, this is fascism,' they said last month. The amendment, the 15th to Hungary's constitution since it was unilaterally authored and approved by the ruling Fidesz-KDNP coalition in 2011, also seeks to reinforce Orbán over what he claims are foreign efforts to influence Hungary's politics. In a recent speech laced with conspiracy theories, Orbán pledged to 'eliminate the entire shadow army' of foreign-funded 'politicians, judges, journalists, pseudo-NGOs and political activists'. Rights groups described the amendment as a step in this direction for Orbán, a self-described 'illiberal' leader, because it allows for the suspension of Hungarian citizenship for up to 10 years for dual nationals deemed to pose a threat to public order or security. The suspensions would only apply to Hungarians who hold citizenship of another country that is not a member of the EU or European Economic Area. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International and the Háttér Society have urged the European Commission to launch a procedure against Hungary's government, arguing that the recent changes breach EU law. The groups highlighted the 'gravity and urgency of the consequences of the adopted changes' in a recent statement, noting that they would 'force LGBTQ+ people complete out of the public eye'. The nationwide ban is believed to be the first of its kind in the EU's recent history. The groups also said the amendment went further than violating the rights of LGBTQ+ people and those who support them, describing it as a tool to further instil fear among those who voice dissent in the country. 'The changes have overarching consequences that affect fundamental rights well beyond the issue of Pride,' they said.
