AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
MEDIA ADVISORY
17 May 2017
EU: Historic vote must signal end to Hungary crackdown
Reacting to the news that the European Parliament has voted in favour triggering Article 7, which could restrict the voting rights of Hungary in the European Council, Iverna McGowan Director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office said:
“With today’s vote, the European Parliament has called time on the Hungarian government’s attacks on civil society and the fundamental rights of Hungarians, migrants, refugees, and minority groups. This vote highlights the severity of the situation in Hungary and must be followed up by strong action from the European Council.”
“Today the European Parliament marked out a clear red line on the protection of rights, which European governments simply cannot cross.”
“The Hungarian government must hear this loud and clear and bring itself back into line with EU founding principles, and refrain itself from adopting new laws attempting to silence civil society, including the draft Law on the transparency of organizations funded from abroad.”
For more information or to arrange an interview contact Amnesty International press office in Brussels on [email protected] +32 2 548 27 73 or +32 483 680 812
Background
Amnesty International repeatedly called on the European Parliament to adopt a resolution on the situation of Hungary and to lay out a reasoned proposal to the European Council to activate the preventive mechanism foreseen under Article 7 (1) TEU, in order to protect the EU’s founding values as enshrined in Article 2 TEU: https://www.amnesty.eu/content/assets/Joint_letter_to_EP_on_situation_in_Hungary.pdf