The Hungarian Government has recently submitted to the Parliament a bill on “reinforcing the legal border seal” with the declared aim of preventing illegal entry and movement of people of “unknown identity and motivation”. If adopted, the new rules will introduce tough criminal sanctions by authorising the police to push back every irregularly staying migrant and automatically detain all migrants entering transit zones for the entire duration of the asylum application procedure.
SOLIDAR denounces that the proposed bill is against European and international human rights standards and leads to criminalisation of migration. Automatic detention for the duration of the procedure is in violation of international laws and conventions on refugees and represents another step in the deterioration of the principles of ensuring protection and respecting human rights. Furthermore, if adopted the bill will result into a suspension of the Dublin system. We call upon the European Union to provide an immediate response.
As reported by our Hungarian partner Progressive Hungary Foundation in the Social Progress Watch 2016, the democratic opposition and civil society organisations active to promote inclusion and human rights in the country are undergoing serious difficulties due to the oppressive and overwhelming government’s anti-immigrants propaganda. Despite the difficulties and the pressure, many civil society and grass-root organisations are implementing joint actions to respond to basic needs of migrants and asylum seekers travelling through the country by providing food, clothing, basic medical help, legal assistance, translation and integration programmes. SOLIDAR stands in their support.