Latest news with #HungarianCivilLibertiesUnion
CBC
28-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Thousands march in Hungary as 2SLGBTQ+ rally becomes anti-government protest
Social Sharing Tens of thousands of protesters marched through Hungary's capital on Saturday as a banned 2SLGBTQ+ rights rally swelled into a mass demonstration against the government. Crowds filled a square near Budapest's city hall before setting off across the city, some waving rainbow flags, others carrying signs mocking Prime Minister Viktor Orban. "This is about much more, not just about homosexuality.... This is the last moment to stand up for our rights," Eszter Rein Bodi, one of the marchers, said. "None of us are free until everyone is free," one sign read. Small groups of counter-protesters attempted to disrupt the parade, but police kept them away and diverted the route of the march to avoid clashes. Orban's nationalist government has gradually curtailed the rights of the 2SLGBTQ+ community in the past decade, and its lawmakers passed a law in March that allows for the ban of Pride marches, citing the need to protect children. Opponents see the move as part of a wider crackdown on democratic freedoms ahead of a national election next year when Orban will face a strong opposition challenger. Organizers said participants arrived from 30 countries, including 70 members of the European Parliament. More than 30 embassies have expressed support for the march and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on Hungarian authorities to let the parade go ahead. Seventy Hungarian civil society groups, including the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, Transparency International Hungary and the Hungarian Helsinki Commission, published an open letter on Friday in support of the march, saying the law that led to the police ban "serves to intimidate the entire society." Mayor backs march "The right to assembly is a basic human right, and I don't think it should be banned. Just because someone does not like the reason why you go to the street, or they do not agree with it, you still have the right to do so," Krisztina Aranyi, another marcher, said. Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony tried to circumvent the law by organizing the march as a municipal event, which he said does not need a permit. Police, however, banned the event, arguing that it fell under the scope of the child protection law. Orban, whose government promotes a Christian-conservative agenda, provided some clues on Friday about what participants can expect when he warned of "legal consequences" for organizing and attending the march. Earlier this week, Justice Minister Bence Tuzson warned in a letter sent to some foreign embassies in Budapest that organizing a prohibited event is punishable by one year in jail, while attending counts as a misdemeanour. The law that allows for the ban of Pride lets police impose fines and use facial recognition cameras to identify people who attend. When asked about the threat of a one-year jail term, Karacsony said at a media briefing on Friday that such a sentence would only boost his popularity. "But I cannot take it seriously," he said. Making the march a key topic of political discourse has allowed the Orban government to take the initiative back from the opposition and mobilize its voter base, said Zoltan Novak, an analyst at the Centre for Fair Political Analysis think-tank. "In the past 15 years, Fidesz decided what topics dominated the political world," he said, noting that this has become more difficult as Orban's party has faced an increasing challenge from opposition leader Peter Magyar's Tisza party, which has a 15-point lead over Orban's Fidesz in a recent poll. Tisza, which has been avoiding taking a strong position on gay rights issues, did not specify in response to Reuters questions whether it believed the Pride march was lawful, but said those attending deserved the state's protection. "Peter Magyar has called on the Hungarian authorities and police to protect the Hungarian people this Saturday, and on other days as well, even if it means standing up against the arbitrariness of power," the party's media office said. Magyar himself would not attend.
RTÉ News
28-06-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Thousands march in banned Budapest Pride parade in defiance of Orbán
Tens of thousands of protesters have marched through Hungary's capital as a banned LGBTQ+ rights rally swelled into a mass demonstration against the government. Crowds filled a square near Budapest's city hall before setting off across the city, some waving rainbow flags, others carrying signs mocking Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. "This is about much more, not just about homosexuality, ...This is the last moment to stand up for our rights," Eszter Rein Bodi, one of the marchers, said. "None of us are free until everyone is free," one sign read. Small groups of far-right counter-protesters attempted to disrupt the parade, but police kept them away and diverted the route of the march to avoid any clashes. Mr Orbán's nationalist government has gradually curtailed the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in the past decade, and its politicians passed a law in March that allows for the ban of Pride marches, citing the need to protect children. Opponents see the move as part of a wider crackdown on democratic freedoms ahead of a national election next year when Mr Orbán will face a strong opposition challenger. Organisers said participants arrived from 30 different countries, including 70 members of the European Parliament. More than 30 embassies have expressed support for the march and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on Hungarian authorities to let the parade go ahead. Seventy Hungarian civil society groups, including the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, Transparency International Hungary and the Hungarian Helsinki Commission, published an open letter yesterday in support of the march, saying the law that led to the police ban "serves to intimidate the entire society". 'Legal consequences' "The right to assembly is a basic human right, and I don't think it should be banned. Just because someone does not like the reason why you go to the street, or they do not agree with it, you still have the right to do so," Krisztina Aranyi, another marcher, said. Budapest mayor Gergely Karacsony tried to circumvent the law by organising the march as a municipal event, which he said does not need a permit. Police however banned the event, arguing that it fell under the scope of the child protection law. Mr Orbán, whose government promotes a Christian-conservative agenda, provided some clues yesterday about what participants can expect when he warned of "legal consequences" for organising and attending the march. Earlier this week Justice Minister Bence Tuzson warned in a letter sent to some foreign embassies in Budapest that organising a prohibited event is punishable by one year in jail, while attending counts as a misdemeanour. The law that allows for the ban of Pride lets police impose fines and use facial recognition cameras to identify people who attend. When asked about the threat of a one-year jail term, Mr Karacsony said at a press briefing yesterday that such a sentence would only boost his popularity. "But I cannot take it seriously," he said. Making the march a key topic of political discourse has allowed the Orbán government to take the initiative back from the opposition and mobilise its voter base, said Zoltan Novak, an analyst at the Centre for Fair Political Analysis think tank. "In the past 15 years, Fidesz decided what topics dominated the political world," he said, noting that this has become more difficult as Mr Orbán's party has faced an increasing challenge from centre-right opposition leader Peter Magyar's Tisza party, which has a 15-point lead over Mr Orban's Fidesz in a recent poll. Mr Tisza, which has been avoiding taking a strong position on gay rights issues, did not specify in response to Reuters questions whether it believed the Pride march was lawful, but said those attending deserved the state's protection. "Peter Magyar has called on the Hungarian authorities and police to protect the Hungarian people this Saturday, and on other days as well, even if it means standing up against the arbitrariness of power," its press office said. Mr Magyar himself would not attend.
Straits Times
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Tens of thousands march against Hungary's government, for LGBT rights
BUDAPEST - Tens of thousands of protesters marched through Hungary's capital on Saturday as a banned LGBTQ+ rights rally swelled into a mass demonstration against the government. Crowds filled a square near Budapest's city hall before setting off across the city, some waving rainbow flags, others carrying signs mocking Prime Minister Viktor Orban. "This is about much more, not just about homosexuality, .... This is the last moment to stand up for our rights," Eszter Rein Bodi, one of the marchers, said. "None of us are free until everyone is free," one sign read. Small groups of far-right counter-protesters attempted to disrupt the parade, but police kept them away and diverted the route of the march to avoid any clashes. Orban's nationalist government has gradually curtailed the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in the past decade, and its lawmakers passed a law in March that allows for the ban of Pride marches, citing the need to protect children. Opponents see the move as part of a wider crackdown on democratic freedoms ahead of a national election next year when Orban will face a strong opposition challenger. Organisers said participants arrived from 30 different countries, including 70 members of the European Parliament. More than 30 embassies have expressed support for the march and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on Hungarian authorities to let the parade go ahead. Seventy Hungarian civil society groups, including the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, Transparency International Hungary and the Hungarian Helsinki Commission, published an open letter on Friday in support of the march, saying the law that led to the police ban "serves to intimidate the entire society". 'LEGAL CONSEQUENCES' "The right to assembly is a basic human right, and I don't think it should be banned. Just because someone does not like the reason why you go to the street, or they do not agree with it, you still have the right to do so," Krisztina Aranyi, another marcher, said. Budapest mayor Gergely Karacsony tried to circumvent the law by organising the march as a municipal event, which he said does not need a permit. Police however banned the event, arguing that it fell under the scope of the child protection law. Orban, whose government promotes a Christian-conservative agenda, provided some clues on Friday about what participants can expect when he warned of "legal consequences" for organising and attending the march. Earlier this week Justice Minister Bence Tuzson warned in a letter sent to some foreign embassies in Budapest that organising a prohibited event is punishable by one year in jail, while attending counts as a misdemeanour. The law that allows for the ban of Pride lets police impose fines and use facial recognition cameras to identify people who attend. When asked about the threat of a one-year jail term, Karacsony said at a press briefing on Friday that such a sentence would only boost his popularity. "But I cannot take it seriously," he said. Making the march a key topic of political discourse has allowed the Orban government to take the initiative back from the opposition and mobilise its voter base, said Zoltan Novak, an analyst at the Centre for Fair Political Analysis think tank. "In the past 15 years, Fidesz decided what topics dominated the political world," he said, noting that this has become more difficult as Orban's party has faced an increasing challenge from centre-right opposition leader Peter Magyar's Tisza party, which has a 15-point lead over Orban's Fidesz in a recent poll. Tisza, which has been avoiding taking a strong position on gay rights issues, did not specify in response to Reuters questions whether it believed the Pride march was lawful, but said those attending deserved the state's protection. "Peter Magyar has called on the Hungarian authorities and police to protect the Hungarian people this Saturday, and on other days as well, even if it means standing up against the arbitrariness of power," its press office said. Magyar himself would not attend. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Irish Times
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Tens of thousands expected to attend Budapest Pride in defiance of ban
Tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ rights supporters are expected to attend the Budapest Pride march on Saturday, defying a police ban as the event has become a symbol of the years-long struggle between Hungary 's nationalist government and civil society. Prime minister Viktor Orban 's government has gradually curtailed the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in the past decade, and its lawmakers passed a law in March that allows for the ban of Pride, citing the need to protect children. Opponents see the move as part of a wider crackdown on democratic freedoms in advance of a general election next year when Orban will face a strong opposition challenger. Organisers said they expect tens of thousands to attend, with participants arriving from 30 different countries, including European Commissioner for Equality Hadja Lahbib and about 70 members of the European Parliament. READ MORE More than 30 embassies have expressed support for the march and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen called on Hungarian authorities to let the parade go ahead. Seventy Hungarian civil society groups, including the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, Transparency International Hungary and the Hungarian Helsinki Commission, published an open letter on Friday in support of the march, saying the law that led to the police ban 'serves to intimidate the entire society'. Budapest mayor Gergely Karacsony tried to circumvent the law by organising the march as a municipal event, which he said does not need a permit. However, police banned the event, arguing that it fell under the scope of the child protection law. Mr Orban, whose government promotes a Christian-conservative agenda, provided clues on Friday about what participants can expect when he warned of 'legal consequences' for organising and attending the march. [ Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman to take part in banned Budapest Pride march Opens in new window ] Earlier this week justice minister Bence Tuzson warned in a letter sent to some foreign embassies in Budapest that organising a prohibited event is punishable by one year in jail, while attending counts as a misdemeanour. The law that allows for the ban of Pride lets police impose fines and use facial recognition cameras to identify people who attend. When asked about the threat of a one-year jail term, Mr Karacsony said at a press briefing on Friday that such a sentence would only boost his popularity. 'But I cannot take it seriously,' he said. Making the march a key topic of political discourse has allowed the Orban government to take the initiative back from the opposition and mobilise its voter base, said Zoltan Novak, an analyst at the Centre for Fair Political Analysis think tank. [ A quarter of major US corporate backers pull out of Dublin Pride over Trump fears Opens in new window ] 'In the past 15 years, Fidesz decided what topics dominated the political world,' he said, noting that this has become more difficult as Orban's party has faced an increasing challenge from centre-right opposition leader Peter Magyar's Tisza party, which has a 15-point lead over Orban's Fidesz in a recent poll. Tisza, which has been avoiding taking a strong position on gay rights issues, did not specify in response to Reuters questions whether it believed the Pride march was lawful, but said those attending deserved the state's protection. 'Peter Magyar has called on the Hungarian authorities and police to protect the Hungarian people this Saturday, and on other days as well, even if it means standing up against the arbitrariness of power,' its press office said. Mr Magyar himself will not attend. – Reuters
CNN
15-04-2025
- Politics
- CNN
5 things to know for April 15: Presidential power, Deportation, Harvard, Pennsylvania arson, Whooping cough
Hungary's parliament has passed a constitutional amendment that allows the government to ban all LGBTQ+ events. The amendment, which states that the constitution recognizes just two sexes — male and female — also codifies a law that allows authorities to use facial recognition tools to identify people who attend such events and to monitor political protesters. 'It is definitely and purely and strictly about humiliating people and excluding them,' Dánel Döbrentey, a lawyer with the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, said. 'Not just from the national community, but even from the community of human beings.' Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. Get '5 Things' in your inbox If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter. President Donald Trump wants to be able to deport US citizens and imprison them abroad. 'If it's a homegrown criminal, I have no problem,' Trump said on Monday during an Oval Office meeting with El Salvador's leader Nayib Bukele, adding that Attorney General Pam Bondi was studying the laws 'right now.' Trump also urged Bukele to build more mega-prisons, like the country's notorious Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), where deportees are kept in communal cells holding up to 100 men each for 23½ hours a day. El Salvador has already offered Trump the option to house deportees of any nationality for a fee. Although the president is keen to accept such an offer, it would likely face significant legal pushback. 'The US is absolutely prohibited from deporting US citizens, whether they are incarcerated or not,' Leti Volpp, a law professor at UC Berkeley, told CNN in February. Efforts to return a Maryland man to the US after he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador last month hit another serious roadblock on Monday. Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national, is being held in the CECOT mega-prison even though an immigration judge barred his deportation years ago and the Trump administration admitted that the father of three was deported due to 'an administrative error.' Despite a Supreme Court ruling saying that the US must 'facilitate' Abrego Garcia's return, Attorney General Bondi claimed the decision was out of the US's hands. 'That's up to El Salvador if they want to return him,' she said. 'That's not up to us.' Asked directly by CNN's Kaitlan Collins if he plans to return Abrego Garcia, President Bukele said he has no intention of doing so. 'How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States? Of course I'm not going to do it. The question is preposterous,' he said. Harvard University has rejected the Trump administration's demands that it eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion policies, audit the viewpoints of students, faculty and staff, and alter rules for on-campus protests or face major losses of federal funding. In a statement, Harvard President Alan M. Garber said the university would not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights. 'No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,' he said. The Trump administration responded by freezing $2.2 billion in multi-year grants to the school. Similar punitive actions also have been taken against Princeton, Cornell and Northwestern and considered against Brown. Columbia University was the first higher education institution to see its funding slashed. It decided to acquiesce to the administration by changing its curriculum and admission guidelines, enacting new policies and empowering law enforcement to identify protesters on and off-campus. Authorities are attempting to determine how a suspect was able to enter the governor's residence in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and set it on fire over the weekend without being apprehended. 'This individual was able to easily defeat multiple layers of defense,' Jonathan Wackrow, a former US Secret Service agent and security consultant, told CNN. 'First, starting with the perimeter fencing, then the electronic surveillance and detection system, gaining access into the residence and then launching the attack — all while the state police that was providing the protective resource there was unable to locate him.' Gov. Josh Shapiro, his family and another family were safely evacuated from the home, which sustained a 'significant amount of damage' in the blaze. A security review of the incident is now underway. On Monday, authorities charged Cody Balmer, 38, with attempted homicide, aggravated arson, terrorism and other crimes. He was denied bail. A motive for the attack is unknown at this time. The ongoing measles outbreak has topped 700 cases and caused at least two deaths. But that's not the only preventable disease spreading through the US at the moment. Cases of pertussis — also known as whooping cough — have skyrocketed by more than 1,500% nationwide since hitting a recent low in 2021. In the past six months, two babies in Louisiana have died from pertussis. Washington, Idaho and South Dakota have each reported a death from the disease this year. And with vaccination rates on the decline and the Trump administration slashing spending on public health funding and staffing, such outbreaks could get much worse. Dr. Susan Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said pediatricians across the country are concerned about the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases. 'Many of us are losing sleep. If we lose that progress, children will pay the price,' she said. How DOGE led a 'hostile takeover' at the IRS to use taxpayer data for immigration crackdownsAfter being repeatedly blocked by career officials at the IRS, DOGE demoted the agency's legal advisers and sidelined senior IT staffers. Paige Bueckers is No. 1The 2025 National Player of the Year was the top overall pick by the Dallas Wings in Monday night's WNBA draft. Bueckers is the sixth UConn player to be taken No. 1 overall, joining Breanna Stewart (2016), Maya Moore (2011), Tina Charles (2010), Diana Taurasi (2004) and Sue Bird (2002). Back as Burr on BroadwayOne of the original cast members of the hit musical, 'Hamilton,' is returning for another shot. Leslie Odom Jr., who played Aaron Burr, will once again tackle his Tony Award-winning role this fall. Don't fly off the handleAfter years of disruption, air traffic is once again surpassing pre-pandemic levels. If you're planning to fly in the future, be sure to pack some patience, particularly at these 10 busy airports. This diet may benefit your bonesMany people who try to lose weight, primarily through diet alone, can experience a reduction in bone density. Exercising without dieting doesn't solve the problem either. But, new research shows that older women who adopted the nutrient-rich Mediterranean diet and continued to exercise were able to lose weight and prevent bone loss. Food is so fancy — and fashionableWould you spend $88 for a lamp made from real croissants? How about $1,500 for a purse that looks like a box of Barilla pasta? The trend of food on home decor and in fashion is apparently hitting the luxury sector. 400,000That's how many people were displaced on Sunday from Sudan's Zamzam refugee camp after it was seized by the Rapid Support Forces following a four-day assault. At least 300 civilians were killed in the fighting, including 10 humanitarian personnel from Relief International who were operating one of the last functioning health centers in the famine-stricken camp. 'Everybody has insecurities.' — Olympic medalist and rugby star Ilona Maher sharing why she posts messages on social media about body positivity. Check your local forecast here>>> Let's get ready to fumble!Vice President JD Vance dropped the bottom half of the college football national championship trophy while meeting with the Ohio State University football team at the White House.
