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Hungarians protest 'authoritarian' bill against NGOs, media


Published on 2025-05-23 11:44:08 - AFP
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  • Tens of thousands of people protested in Budapest Sunday against a planned law that would allow the government to sanction NGOs and media it deemed a threat to Hungary's sovereignty."The law is pretty much full of nonsense," one protester, Gabor, told AFP. "There's nothing concrete in it.

On July 24, 2023, thousands of Hungarians protested in Budapest against a new "sovereignty protection" bill passed by the parliament, which they view as authoritarian. The legislation, supported by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party, establishes an authority to investigate and prosecute individuals or groups suspected of undermining Hungary's sovereignty, with potential penalties including up to three years in prison. Critics, including opposition parties and civil society groups, argue that the bill could be used to suppress dissent and target political opponents, especially as it coincides with Orban's ongoing conflicts with the European Union over rule of law issues. Demonstrators, rallying under the slogan "No to the sovereignty protection act," expressed fears that the law would further erode democratic freedoms in Hungary.

Read the Full AFP Article at:
[ https://www.yahoo.com/news/hungarians-protest-authoritarian-bill-against-175023824.html ]