The Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, Menedék - Hungarian Association for Migrants, Artemisszió Foundation, Migration Aid, Migrant Solidarity Group, and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee jointly call on all European citizens to demand from the Hungarian government the immediate withdrawal of the recently passed laws allowing the immediate expulsion of asylum seekers to Serbia and prison time for border crossing.
We call on the Hungarian authorities to adopt regulations in line with international and EU law and to provide safe accommodation that respects humanity and the dignity of those most in need.
The harsh new laws come into force on September 15. From this date, irregular migrants entering Hungary will be summarily returned to the country from which they entered, primarily Serbia. This means return to a county that lacks a secure asylum system.
Laws prescribing the automatic expulsion of migrants and making illegal border crossing a crime punishable by prison only serve one aim for the Hungarian government: to rid itself of its humanitarian duties and obligations.
The current refugee crisis is not the fault of the Hungarian government – it is a common European responsibility to find a solution. However, the response of the Hungarian government to the crisis is not only a disgrace for Hungary, but also a discredit to the EU.
No member state should ever treat refugees as public enemies and enact such repressive measures. We therefore ask all European citizens to join our cause and stand tall against the inhumane and antidemocratic moves of the Hungarian government.
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We demand from the Hungarian authorities humane temporary living conditions for all irregular migrants, and due process and fair consideration of all asylum applications made by refugees entering the EU through Hungary.
Hungary must return to the path of respecting human rights and its obligations under international law and European Union treaties.
The humiliation of refugees and Hungarian citizens alike must end now. We call on the Hungarian government to engage with other European countries in negotiations to find a long-lasting joint solution.
Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, 14th September 2015, Budapest
