Stop targeting Hungarian NGOs!

Last week, non-governmental organisations from across Europe organised a protest against the persecution of their Hungarian counterparts.

Since the re-election, the Hungarian Government has been operating a smear campaign which targeted Hungarian NGOs in an attempt to assume control over their independent financing.

“We think that a dynamic and independent civic society plays a fundamental role in maintaining democratic order and keeping the balance between citizens and those in power. The example of the Putinist Russia clearly shows that harassment of the civic sector effectively disrupts the operations of NGOs and may easily lead to their criminalisation”, reads a joint statement of the organisations.

As a result of the protest the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights issued a letter to the Hungarian Ambassador to Poland. The HFHR noted that the Hungarian Government’s actions against the organisations financed from “Norway Grants” may result in their marginalisation, inevitably curbing their critical approach to the Government of Hungary.

In its letter, signed by Danuta Przywara, the Helsinki Foundation expresses hope that the Hungarian authorities would cease any further practices aiming to restrict anti-government criticism.