A/HRC/20/33/Add.1
I. Introduction
1.
At the invitation of the Government, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms
of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance visited Hungary
(Budapest, Ózd, Gyöngyöspata, Pécs and Mohács) from 23 to 27 May 2011. He held
extensive meetings with authorities from the executive, legislative and judicial branches.
2.
In addition to the meetings with government and State institutions, the Special
Rapporteur met with representatives from the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner
for the Rights of National and Ethnic Minorities, and the Parliamentary Commissioner for
Data Protection and Freedom of Information. The Special Rapporteur also had extensive
meetings with political parties, civil society organizations, lawyers, representatives of
minorities, academics and private citizens, as well as individual victims of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. He also visited a prison in Budapest
(Fővárosi Büntetés-végrehajtási Intézet) and a school in the city of Ózd. A full list of
authorities met by the Special Rapporteur is contained in the appendix.
3.
The visit to Hungary by the Special Rapporteur has a particular significance since it
occurred more than ten years after the first visit to Hungary of a previous Special
Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance and follows the visit in 2006 of the Independent Expert on minority issues. Thus
in order to assess the main challenges that lie ahead in the fight against racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in Hungary, the Special Rapporteur
relied on recommendations made by the earlier mandate holders. He also followed up on
the relevant recommendations and commitments made by the Government during the
universal periodic review process of the Human Rights Council that took place on 11 May
2011.
4.
The Special Rapporteur wishes to express his sincere gratitude to the Government of
Hungary for its full cooperation and openness in the preparation and conduct of the visit.
He also wishes to convey his appreciation to the various civil society representatives who
cooperated with him through the mission. The conclusions and recommendations in this
report are based on the fruitful exchanges with Hungary-based interlocutors and the Special
Rapporteur’s own analysis. He hopes that these will contribute to finding concrete ways
and means of addressing the challenges raised in this report in an effective and human
rights-compliant manner.
5.
The present report is structured as follows: in chapter II, the Special Rapporteur
briefly refers to the general background. He then examines the legal and institutional
human rights framework for combating racism in chapters III and IV. In chapter V he
addresses a number of key issues in the fight against racism, presenting the views shared
with the Special Rapporteur both by Government officials and civil society. Finally,
conclusions and recommendations are presented in chapter VI.
II. General background
6.
Hungary is a landlocked country comprising an area of 93,030 km. It is bordered by
Austria, Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine.
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