You have probably seen the latest news about the violence against people seeking international protection at the Southern border of Hungary. Sadly, this is not a new phenomenon. Since last summer and changing the law about the border crossing, more and more testimonies and reports about serious violence at the Southern borders of Hungary have been spread (eg. the UNHCR, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International or lately the Doctors Without Borders, Fresh Response and the testimonies published on the blog of Migrant Solidarity Group of Hungary).
The asylum legislation has become increasingly harsh and exclusionary in the past year:
since January the authorities decreased the number of applicants per day admitted to the transit zones once more. With the new asylum detention law, which detains everybody during the asylum procedure and the extremely harsh push-back laws (that the police is allowed to ‘escort back’ the migrants to the gates of the transit zones, meaning push backs to the other side of the fence) it is almost impossible to apply for asylum in Hungary now.
At the same time, the continuous growth of using weapons, armed forces and army-like preparations of the police, including newly formed and freshly recruited border hunter units, as well as the recent changes in the legislation worry us significantly - it’s like Hungary is in a war with people who are seeking asylum. Also, there are no official, transparent documentation about what is the connection of more and more weapons at the border, and the huge number of violence that happens, but we demand this to change.
Even if it is only a small gesture, there is something we can personally do: email the Ministry of Interior and demand them to take those uncountable cases of uniformed violence at the border seriously and start investigate these.
The asylum legislation has become increasingly harsh and exclusionary in the past year:
since January the authorities decreased the number of applicants per day admitted to the transit zones once more. With the new asylum detention law, which detains everybody during the asylum procedure and the extremely harsh push-back laws (that the police is allowed to ‘escort back’ the migrants to the gates of the transit zones, meaning push backs to the other side of the fence) it is almost impossible to apply for asylum in Hungary now.
At the same time, the continuous growth of using weapons, armed forces and army-like preparations of the police, including newly formed and freshly recruited border hunter units, as well as the recent changes in the legislation worry us significantly - it’s like Hungary is in a war with people who are seeking asylum. Also, there are no official, transparent documentation about what is the connection of more and more weapons at the border, and the huge number of violence that happens, but we demand this to change.
Even if it is only a small gesture, there is something we can personally do: email the Ministry of Interior and demand them to take those uncountable cases of uniformed violence at the border seriously and start investigate these.
Instructions:
- Copy and paste the message below to an email
- Use the subject: suggestion of public interest: investigate violence at the border
- Add your own additions to the text if you wish
- Send it to this email address:[email protected]
- Please cc our group to your letter: [email protected]
- Share this with others so that they can do the same!
Let’s put some pressure on those people who are responsible and have the power to change the situation. Let’s show that we do care and that people know about and stand up against the violence that is occurring in our name.
Thank you!
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Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to you, because I am seriously worried. In the last months several trustworthy organization, such as UNHCR, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Hungarian Helsinki Committee have published reports about violent actions against asylum-seekers at the Southern borders of Hungary. Other groups working in the field also published statements, testimonies and photos from victims, for example the Doctors Without Borders and the Migrant Solidarity Group of Hungary. Recently I also saw a lot of articles by media, which showed pictures and interviews with victims of violence.
According to these reports and testimonies these violent happenings are committed by uniformed people, by the Hungarian police. The victims reported that they were brutally beaten and abused and then pushed back to Serbia. They said that perpetrators often used gas-spray or pepper-spray, set dogs on them, kicked and beat them, damaged their properties and forced them through small openings in the razor wire fence, causing further injuries.
The Ministry of Interior and the police always declared that the authorities did not take part in any violent actions. Taking into consideration the amount of reports and articles on the topic, I am very worried that there is no transparent investigation on the violence. It would be very important to see further reactions and actions from the authorities, since this physical violence against human beings is absolutely unacceptable. It would be especially important to take efforts to ensure that the Hungarian police with the newly recruited and quickly trained Border Hunter unit is acting its law enforcement authority with responsibility to protect human integrity, respecting international laws and human rights and as guaranteed in the constitution as well.
With this in mind I ask you to do all in your power to investigate the violence against asylum-seekers and migrants and publish a transparent report on the investigations. I ask you to stop the violence and to ensure that the integrity and rights of those seeking protection in Hungary are respected.
Best,
