Hungarian Civil Liberties Union

The Hungarian Civil Liberties Union is a human rights NGO. Since our foundation in 1994, we have been working for everybody being informed about their fundamental human rights and empowered to enforce it against the undue interference by those in position of public power.

our focus areas & news

Protect Freedom in Hungary!

HCLU started an international crowdfunding project on Global Giving! With your help and contribution we will be able to continue our work as the most active watchdog organization in Hungary. Don't let the government silence the Hungarian civil society! Take action and help us to defend freedom in Hungary!

Anti-discrimination Lawsuit Against the Leadership of a Hungarian City

Miskolc, the third largest city in Hungary has been openly against its Roma inhabitants for the past few years. Discriminative measures have been carried out and the municipality’s communication is hostile and stigmatizing.

On the accusation of being a pseudo-NGO

The past few weeks have been full of the word “pseudo-NGO”. The government and leaders of the governing party have declared organisations critical of them “pseudo-NGOs”. According to more moderate views, they should be much more transparent than they are now, while according to more radical views, they should be completely eliminated. Those who do not agree with these politicians have retorted that it is in fact the foundations, associations and other professional platforms close to the government who are the real pseudo-NGOs. It is well-settled what it means to be an NGO. The definition of a pseudo-NGO, on the other hand, has not been fully explained. This expression is used in various contexts in the current debate. Let’s look at the typology of pseudo-NGOs!

Civil Liberties MEPs to discuss the situation of fundamental rights in Hungary

Members of the Civil Liberties Committee will discuss the fundamental rights situation in Hungary with Justice Minister László Trócsányi and civil society representatives on Monday afternoon. Read the full speech of HCLU's Executive director, Stefánia Kapronczay.

Supreme Court: the police discriminated against the Roma of Gyöngyöspata

The Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU) initiated an actio popularis lawsuit based on the Equal Treatment Act of Hungary (ETA) against the Heves County Police Department following racially motivated events in the village of Gyöngyöspata (Heves County, Hungary) in the spring of 2011. In its judgment of 8 February 2017, the Supreme Court of Hungary (the Kúria) ruled that the failure to protect the Roma from racist harassment amounted to harassment under the ETA.

Huddled up Under the Hospital Bed – Being a Parent at the Hospital

“My son was placed in a hospital ward of about 10 square metres in size, with four cribs in it, all of them occupied. Consequently, mothers had only chairs left to sit on. My partner’s idea was putting a foam rubber mat under the crib and sleeping there, huddled up. A couple of other mothers followed her lead.