AFPViktor Orbán
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 22:53
The Hungarian parliament has approved the creation of an agency to track activities that would harm Hungary’s sovereignty.
The bill that regulates this came from Prime Minister Orbán’s right-wing populist ruling party Fidesz. That party believes the law is necessary to combat “inappropriate political interference by foreign persons or groups”.
Bureau
Under the new law, people or groups who participate in elections with foreign support can be sentenced to prison for up to three years. The Commissioner for Human Rights had called on Fidesz to abandon the law.
They fear that the newly established agency will request sensitive data and private information from citizens without supervision.
Shut up
According to human rights organization Amnesty International, the law is an attempt by the Hungarian government “to silence critics and prevent people and organizations from standing up for human rights.”
The US ambassador to Hungary also repeatedly criticized the proposal, comparing it to Russia’s “foreign agents” law. This law is used by Russia to silence government opponents by labeling them as foreign agents. Orbán denies that he wants to undermine democracy with the law.
2023-12-12 21:53:38
#Hungarian #parliament #approves #controversial #sovereignty #agency
