'Semi-Consolidated Democracy': Freedom House Downgrades Hungary

Freedom House published this year's evaluation examining post-socialist countries on Tuesday. The report, Nations in Transit 2015, reclassifies Hungary from the category "Consolidated Democracies" to "Semi-Consolidated Democracies." The Washington-based international watchdog organization examined 29 countries (in Central Europe, the Balkans and the member states of the former Soviet Union) during last year. In the report, Hungary ranked 8th among 29 countries, finishing behind Slovakia and ahead of Bulgaria.

More:

https://freedomhouse.org/report/nations-transit/nations-transit-2015#.VYp-G-2qqkp

Share

Related articles

Prison Overcrowding in Hungary is Inhuman

Prison overcrowding in Hungary leads to inhuman and degrading conditions, the European Court of Human Rights ruled on March 10. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee provided legal representation in the case. The organization has pointed out that the problem is systemic: Hungarian penal policies force thousands to be held in pre-trial detention without any justification. The court said that inadequate sleeping arrangements, insect infestation and poor ventilation, among other things, had amounted to degrading treatment. Some 450 other cases on prison overcrowding are still before the court.
More:
http://index.hu/belfold/2015/03/10/borton_tulzsufoltsag_strasbourg_emberi_jogi_dontes_helsinki_bizottsag/

Read more »

Newsletter Launch III.: Global Developments in Religious Freedom and Equal Treatment

The third issue of the International Network of Civil Liberties Organizations’ (INCLO) quarterly newsletter, Global Developments in Religious Freedom and Equal Treatment has published. The newsletter highlights recent international developments, including cases and legislation, concerning religious freedom, equal treatment, and the intersection of the two. This edition sheds light on two landmark decisions (Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, SAS v. France), as well as on other transnational developments.

Read more »

A Court had to Overturn the Actions of the Police and the Counterterrorism Center

The Metropolitan Court of Budapest invalidated the decision of Budapest’s chief police officer that effectively banned an announced demonstration at the Prime Minister’s residence. The decision also found that closing the area, in order to prevent the demonstration, violated the law. The HCLU welcomes the decision by the court which stated that “limiting a peaceful demonstration because it is held in the presence of a high level official but otherwise serves as an expression of a political opinion is unnecessary in a democratic society.”

Read more »