A/HRC/44/42/Add.1 Annex Report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants on his visit to Hungary I. Introduction 1. The Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Felipe González Morales, conducted an official visit to Hungary from 10 to 17 July 2019 at the invitation of the Government. The main objective of the visit was to assess existing laws, policies and practices in relation to the governance of migration in Hungary and their impact on the human rights of migrants of all categories, including migrant workers, asylum seekers and migrants in an irregular situation. 2. During his visit, the Special Rapporteur met with the relevant government authorities and representatives of the judiciary, relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, the European Border and Coastguard Agency and civil society organizations, as well as migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. In Budapest, the Special Rapporteur had meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of the Interior, the Hungarian Police, the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (formerly the Immigration and Asylum Office), the Constitutional Court, the Budapest Administrative and Labour Law Court and the Budapest regional court. He also had a chance to exchange views with the Deputy State Secretary for Migration Challenges. In Fót, the Special Rapporteur met with representatives of the Ministry for Human Capacities, the Director of the Károly István Children’s Centre and the Child Protection Guardian of unaccompanied migrant children. In Szeged, he met with the VicePresident of the regional court. Unfortunately, the Special Rapporteur did not have a chance to meet with representatives of the Office of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights (Ombudsperson). Direct contacts were established with the Office of the Ombudsperson but the Special Rapporteur was informed that they were moving offices at the time of the visit. 3. In addition to meetings with relevant interlocutors, the Special Rapporteur conducted visits to facilities for migrants. These included the transit zones at Röszke and Tompa, the Károly István Children’s Centre in Fót, the closed asylum reception facility in Nyírbátor, the open asylum reception centre in Vámosszabadi and facilities for migrants under the alien policing authorities in Nyírbátor and Győr. During these visits, the Special Rapporteur was able to hold private interviews with migrant women, men, girls and boys, many in difficult situations. 4. The Special Rapporteur expresses his appreciation for the cooperation extended to him by the Government prior to, throughout and after the visit. He was granted access to all the facilities as requested, conducted all the interviews with migrants and asylum seekers that he requested and had the opportunity to meet with all the relevant authorities. The Special Rapporteur thanks the relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes for their valuable support and assistance. He also extends his gratitude to every migrant who shared his or her personal testimony with him during the visit. II. Security and human rights 5. Hungary experienced a large influx of migrants between 2013 and 2016. Not all migrants who arrived in Hungary sought asylum, but at the peak in 2015, more than 175,000 asylum applications were submitted to the Hungarian immigration authorities. Following the influx of migrants into the country, an anti-migration discourse has become pervasive in both the official and public spheres in Hungary. Some high-level officials of the Government have openly and publicly used discriminatory rhetoric against migrants and asylum seekers. Journalists from local media have also helped to fuel xenophobia and an anti-migration attitude in the country. Despite all the challenges faced by Hungary in receiving migrants and asylum seekers, reports from local media outlets on the influx of migrants and asylum seekers seem to have overlooked the protection needs of these individuals and exaggerated security concerns. In campaigns run by the Government, 2