In its report on Hungary published on Thursday by the Council of Europe's Committee of Experts Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), it was highlighted that the effectiveness of investigating hate crimes in Hungary has been increased, that the relevant authorities have worked to improve Roma integration, and that Hungary has made serious efforts to to provide protection and support to people fleeing the war in Ukraine.

The experts of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, which has 46 member states, first of all welcomed the positive developments achieved in Hungary since the adoption of the latest 2015 report.

At the same time, the experts voiced their concern regarding the adoption of legislative changes that "seriously undermine the human rights of LGBTI communities" and the measures related to the period of emergency declared during the coronavirus epidemic.

Xenophobic public speech

According to the report, political and general public discourse in Hungary has become "increasingly xenophobic", which negatively affects refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, Muslims and members of sexual minorities. The report therefore urges public actors, including political leaders, to act "immediately, decisively and publicly" against racist and anti-LGBTI hate speech.

ECRI is also concerned that the school dropout rate of Roma remains high, and that segregation in education is still widespread. The Roma are in the most disadvantaged position on the labor market, and their forced eviction continues, often without a suitable housing solution, they wrote.

In their opinion, the merger of the Equal Treatment Authority, which will operate as an independent equal opportunity body until 2020, with the Office of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights raises questions. In this regard, no prior consultation was held, and no information campaign was organized for the wider public to explain the new institutional framework and the available legal remedies, the report noted.

However, we are not doing well in gender, Roma and racism

ECRI requested the "priority implementation" of the two recommendations addressed to the Hungarian authorities. Hungary should commission an independent review of the legislative measures adopted during the state of emergency, with particular regard to the impact of the measures on LGBTI communities and compliance with human rights standards in the field of equality and non-discrimination. Hungarian authorities should also increase the capacity of law enforcement agencies to identify and deal with racist and anti-LGBTI hate speech and hate crimes.

The rapporteurs also made further recommendations for Hungary, among which is the organization of a national awareness-raising campaign on the complaint methods available to victims of discrimination. According to the recommendations, steps should be taken at the legislative level to ensure the legal recognition of a person's gender through fast, transparent and accessible procedures, all forms of school segregation affecting Roma children should be eliminated, and a comprehensive integration strategy should be adopted for migrants .

MTI

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