Before we begin, it is important to notice that a year ago we were living through a very significant time. It is the anniversary time of what we learnt to call “the migration crisis in Hungary” in 2015.
This is a Migszol update from 5 August to 5 September. The month has been characterized by increasingly ruthless violence at the Serbian-Hungarian border, ever-growing aggressive propaganda against migrants of all kinds now that the national referendum is drawing closer, and the heated international relations between European states because of the insecure EU-Turkey deal.
Before we begin, it is important to notice that a year ago we were living through a very significant time. It is the anniversary time of what we learnt to call “the migration crisis in Hungary” in 2015.
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The Park
One August Sunday afternoon, we arrive in the park and immediately are in the middle of a protest. One would think it is a joyful celebration: music plays, people are having drinks and food, talking, but the topic is quite serious: this is “The park is for everyone” solidarity event during which volunteers and refugees try to raise awareness about what is going on in the city: that asylum-seekers are being forced out of public areas and are pushed into camps and to register. We are in Belgrade, in a park often referred to as ‘Info park’, named after an NGO which is active here. It is situated on the side of the road next to the railway station and - similar to II János Pál square / John Paul the Second square - served for a long time as a transfer point for many refugees for a few nights before continuing their journey, much like the “Afghani park” on the other side of the road as well. The situation on the Hungarian border, however, became increasingly dramatic and serious. As an employee of the Infopark put it: last summer, the atmosphere at night was actually quite happy, people played music and had fun. They knew they were supposed to spend only a few days here, which made them optimistic and full of hope. However, most of the people who are currently here have been here for months now, many already tried leaving and continuing their journey but all attempts failed and no one has any idea what lies ahead. People do not have any reasons to be happy and enjoy the music anymore. This is a Migszol update on the general asylum situation in Hungary between 4th July - 4th August 2016. For information for people seeking asylum, please see the information provided by the Hungarian Helsinki Committee in here.
The 8km law and violence on the border The 8km law, that we wrote about earlier, took effect on the 5th of July. According to the legislation, anyone who is caught within 8m on the Hungarian side of the border fence may be “escorted” back to the Serbian side of the fence. This legalizes the pushbacks of people to the Serbian side and severely restricts people’s right to seek asylum. In practice, those caught and pushed back are not given a chance to ask for asylum, which is contrary to international law. We find it cruelly ironic that at the same time the Fidesz government claims that the border fence is working, the Hungarian authorities are cutting holes to this fence in order to push people back to the Serbian side. The results of the law have been catastrophic: the number of people waiting at the transit zone to apply for asylum at the border has doubled. There is no legal help available, civilian volunteers and activists have limited access, and the living conditions are abysmal, as this video from Migszol Szeged also shows. There main issues from the last two weeks which we would like to highlight include the political trials in Szeged in which people are accused of either terrorism or then of illegal crossing of the Hungarian border during a mass riot, the violent pushbacks on the Hungarian-Serbian border and the violence of informal gangs, the opening of a new open refugee camp has been opened in Kiskunhalas in Southern Hungary, and the border guard competition was held in eastern Hungary. Before we examine all these in detail, there are some other political and general updates we would like to share.
The Hungarian Minister of the Cabinet, János Lázár, continues to lobby for resuming Dublin deportations to Greece. In willful ignorance of the European Court of Human Rights-ruling that ruled against deportations to Greece, Lázár claims Dublin deportations to Hungary are “illegal” and that instead of Hungary, people should be deported back to Greece. He discloses that other member states want to deport up to 45 000 people back to Hungary. Hungarian prosecutors have opened an investigation into whether police can be held criminally responsible for abuse over the death of a Syrian man who drowned in the Tisza river as he was trying to cross into Hungary from Serbia in June. His brother, who was travelling with him declared that the police force, who spotted them while making the attempt to cross the river, didn’t allow them to reach the shore. The police officially denies this accusation and an investigation is ongoing. |
AuthorThis blog is ran by members of Migszol, it features our analyses and reflections on asylum questions in Hungary in more depth. If you would like to write a guest piece, drop us a line! Archives
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