Migszol protest against detention was very successful. In this blog post, we address the critique of Jobbik for not engaging in dialogue with them, as well as ponder why does it matter that supporters from Budapest drive a bus to Debrecen to support the cause of refugees and asylum seekers over there - and who, in the end, are the “locals” suffering from the refugee camp.


The Hungarian radical right party Jobbik criticized Migszol for coming all over from Budapest with a bus, protesting against asylum seekers’ detention in Debrecen, and not understanding what the locals suffer. Ironically, that is totally true - we do not understand why the locals suffer. By the locals, however, we do not only refer to Hungarians living around the area of Samsoni ut,  but of course  to the asylum seekers and refugees living inside the camp and inside the detention centre. Jobbik, it seems, has not considered, while holding their political campaign speeches at the entrance of the camp, that asylum seekers and refugees “live” in the area as much as they do, and if someone is suffering from the living conditions in the camp and in the detention, it is them. Hungary and Debrecen are not providing a “favor” by running a refugee camp and “letting” refugees live there. Hungary has the legal obligation of providing respectable living conditions for anyone who wishes to seek asylum - because we all have the fundamental right to do that.


So, why did Migszol not wish to speak with Jobbik representatives on Saturday?

Migrant Solidarity Group of Hungary, Migszol, was protesting at the refugee camp in Debrecen on Saturday together with a hundred refugees. The demonstration was against asylum detention and demanded closing down the inhumane detention centers and the detention system. 

A small Jobbik counter demonstration was awaiting Migszol when the group arrived to Debrecen. The demonstration march itself was peaceful with great moments of solidarity, like when the protesters were waving to the imprisoned asylum seekers who were in the detention center. After the march the protesters were raising the mood with singing and dancing together. They had also arranged books from Budapest to give to asylum seekers in Debrecen that were received with a very warm welcome. 

Harsh living conditions in detention centers have been in the media this month when the Hungarian Helsinki Committee released their statement about the cruel conditions in detention centers in Hungary. The report stated that asylum seekers are often beaten by the guards, a claim that many asylum seekers have confirmed today as well. The Debrecen detention center is an exceptional center, being located inside the territory of the open camp and thus creating a very frustrated and unsafe atmosphere for the people living inside the facilities. 

The demonstration against detention was a part of Migszol’s on-going campaign to end the detention of asylum seekers. The group will publish a series of collected storied from detention experiences in the near future. Migszol is grateful for all those brave refugees who joined the demonstration from the open part of the Debrecen camp, who shared their stories and who shared their desire to end the detention of all asylum seekers.

The Migrant Solidarity Group of Hungary aims to create a more welcoming Hungarian asylum system where refugees are treated as protected people and not as criminals.

Hier le groupe Migrant Solidarity en Hongrie et une centaine de réfugiés manifestaient devant le camp de réfugiés de Debrecen contre la détention des demandeurs d’asile.

La prison des demandeurs d’asile se trouve à l’intérieur même du camp ouvert. Cette situation créé une atmosphère tendue et pleine de frustration à l’intérieur du camp.

Au cours de la manifestation de nombreux réfugiés ont confirmé ce qu’a revelé le rapport du Comité Helsinki Hongrois décrivant la prison de Debrecen comme un lieu cruel où les demandeurs d’asile se font battrent par le gardes.

Migszol et les demandeurs d’asile du camp ouvert ont manifesté pour la fermeture des centres de détention et pour un système hongrois plus accueillant dans lequel les réfugiés seraient traités en tant que personnes à protéger et non en tant que criminels.

La manifestation s’est également rendue en face de la prison et les participant ont fait signes aux demandeurs d’asile en détention. Ce fut un beau moment puisque les détenus ont pu ressentir la solidarité des manifestants.

Les manifestants sont ensuite retournés devant le camp pour dancer, jouer de la musique, manger et distribuer les livres tout en chantant : Non à la rétention! et les réfugiés ne sont pas des criminels!

Migszol est très reconnaissant aux réfugiés pour être sortis du camp de Debrecen et avoir partagés leurs histoires personnelles et leur désir de voir la fin de la détention des demandeurs d’asile.

Migszol continue sa campagne contre la détention des demandeurs d’asile avec et publiera prochainement des témoignages de personnes ayant été détenues.

We are glad to share with you the English translation of report on situation of refugees in Hungary, written by published by bordermonitoring.eu and Pro Asy in late 2013. Reading this report is a great opportunity, right before our demonstration in Debrecen, to read about the reasons why the work of Migszol is needed. We thank the ProAsyl researchers for the excellent research job. Highlights of the report (that includes a lot of visual illustrations, as well) include:

• The tent camps in Bicske in summer 2013 
• Detention conditions 
• Ways in which the Hungarian asylum system is a violation of EU directives 
• Access to medical care
• Criminalization of homelessness in Hungary (See AVM for more info) 
• Story of the Afghans who left Hungary last summer as reported back then by 444 

             .........and much more! 

Click on the below picture to for the PDF of the report. 

Press release / Invitation 
 
STOP DETENTION IN HUNGARY! 
Protest and solidarity day with asylum seekers at the Debrecen Refugee camp. 
Debrecen Refugee Camp, 4033, Sámsoni út 149, Debrecen, Hungary. May 17, 2014, 2-5 PM 
 
Since June 2013, detention of asylum seekers is legal in Hungary. This means that people forced to flee from their home country are often jailed when they arrive here. Recent reports of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and index.hu confirmed what we already knew from our regular visits to Debrecen (and wrote 
about here): conditions in detention are also alarming, detainees are being beaten in the Debrecen detention center. 
 
On May 17 we will protest to end cruel detention and inhumane treatment of asylum seekers in Hungary. Asylum seekers are potentially vulnerable people who fled from their country fearing for their life and the safety of their family. Detaining them for not having legal travel documents contradicts basichuman rights. 

How could we expect asylum seekers to integrate later as refugees in Hungary, if we lock them up and beat them when they arrive? 
 
We invite Hungarian and European journalists, civil society and others interested to join the event, to get their own impression of how the conditions are in Debrecen and how detention affects asylum seekers' lives. 
 
The protest at the Debrecen Camp starts from 3 PM, and there will be activities in front of the camp from 2-5 PM. 
 
How to get there:
 
There will be an organized bus, departing from Budapest on Saturday morning at at 9.15 AM, Blaha Lujza tér (parking lot). If you would like to travel with us on the bus from Budapest, please let us know by Thursday, May 15, by contacting us through one of the channels below! 
 
The Camp is located on Sámsoni út 149, at the outskirts of the city. Local bus nr. 19 goes there from the center. The last stop is that for the Camp. 
 
Please confirm your attendance by Friday, May 16! 
 
More information:
www.migszol.com 
[email protected] 
www.facebook.com/migszolcsoport 

In April 2014, Migrant Solidarity joined a six-day conference in Greece, organized by UNITED Against Racism. UNITED for International Action is a European network against nationalism, racism and fascism that supports immigrants and refugees. This umbrella organization not only provides network and pitches conferences and workshops, but also effectively lobbies at Council of Europe, European Commission, and OSCE. Because they believe that the only way to combat European conservatism is through unity and solidarity, every year they invite different actors, activist groups and NGOs to join UNITED conferences in a European city.


This year the conference was organized in Athens, Greece and Migszol had the opportunity to be present. It was a fruitful occasion that spread knowledge and linked groups together. OSCE lawyers, ombudsman institute representative, Greek NGOs, Hope not Hate (England), public educators, and event organizers shared their experience, struggles and hopes with us. Albeit the emphasis of this year’s conference was on the importance of European Elections, connecting NGOs to lawmakers, and migration policies, presenters had a special attention towards education, local connections, labor unions, and deconstruction of history.

Migrant Solidarity visited the residents of Debrecen camp again on 26th of April. This time we focused on the living conditions in the camp. We are glad to see that every time we visit the camp, more and more people come outside to talk to us - thank you for the hospitality!


Being in correspondence with the Office of Immigration and Nationality (OIN) and having observed its performance, Migszol did not have false hopes for its visit to the Debrecen camp. Nevertheless, we had not expected to see the camp in a far worse condition than our previous visits. Throughout our discussions with refugees and asylum seekers we realized that not only the living conditions have worsened, but also misleading advices ( such as leaving Hungary and seeking asylum in another country) have been told to refugees/asylum seekers directly and indirectly by the social workers and authorities in the camp.