Pride Bans, Raids, and Decrees — Will Hungary Finally Reverse 16 Years of Crackdowns

Human Rights Watch urges Hungary’s new government to restore the rule of law, end rule by decree, suspend the Sovereignty Protection Office, protect Pride events, and meet EU rule‑of‑law milestones after years of democratic backsliding.

Hungary’s political landscape has been shaken by the arrival of a new government after 16 years of increasingly centralised power, weakened checks and balances, and mounting human rights concerns. Human Rights Watch has issued a stark call for immediate reforms, urging leaders in Budapest to dismantle abusive institutions, restore judicial independence, and end the sweeping emergency powers that have allowed authorities to rule by decree since 2020. According to the organisation, early moves to scrap these powers would send a powerful signal that the country is finally breaking with the authoritarian tendencies of the past decade and a half.

At the centre of the controversy is the Sovereignty Protection Office, created in 2023 and long criticised for targeting journalists, civil society groups, and academics under the guise of defending national sovereignty. The office has repeatedly harassed organisations such as Transparency International Hungary and independent outlet Atlatszo, prompting calls for its immediate suspension and the repeal of the law that established it. A related proposal — the Transparency of Public Life bill — would grant authorities intrusive oversight of foreign‑funded NGOs and media, a move critics say would further chill dissent. Human Rights Watch insists the bill must be permanently withdrawn.

The new government is also being urged to restore freedom of assembly, after laws passed in 2025 were used to ban Pride marches and restrict LGBTQ‑related public expression under vaguely defined «child protection» justifications. Human Rights Watch says charges against Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony and Pride organiser Géza Buzás‑Hábel — both prosecuted for helping stage banned Pride events — should be dropped immediately. The organisation also condemned the investigation into journalist Szabolcs Panyi, calling it retaliation for legitimate reporting.

Another flashpoint is the long‑running case of Pastor Gábor Iványi, whose church was stripped of official status in 2011. Despite a 2014 European Court of Human Rights ruling ordering Hungary to restore the church’s status and pay compensation, authorities have continued financial and administrative pressure. Human Rights Watch says the new government must end this harassment and comply with the court’s ruling without delay.

Brussels is also watching closely. Billions of euros in EU funds remain frozen due to rule‑of‑law concerns, and the European Commission has set out milestones Hungary must meet before the money is released. Reforms strengthening judicial independence, anti‑corruption safeguards, and transparency would not only unlock these funds but also demonstrate a genuine commitment to democratic renewal.

Human Rights Watch further urges the government to re‑engage with international accountability mechanisms by joining the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and reversing Hungary’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, which is set to take effect in June 2026.

As Lydia Gall of Human Rights Watch put it, the real test will come in the government’s first weeks and months. Ending rule by decree, dismantling institutions used to intimidate critics, protecting Pride events, and halting politically motivated prosecutions would mark a decisive shift — and show the world that Hungary is finally ready to rebuild a rights‑based democracy.