Civil groups protest against tightening asylum rules

Budapest, March 6 (MTI) – Seven civil groups voiced protest against the government’s proposed tightening of the country’s asylum regulations on Monday, just a day ahead of the final vote on the motion.

Under the bill, police would send back illegal migrants to the other side of the fence along Hungary’s border, the rights groups including Amnesty International Hungary and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee said in a joint statement.

The new legislation would also require confining asylum-seekers to transit zones set up on the border and allowing them to leave the zones only “through designated gates” in the direction of Serbia or Croatia, the groups said.

They said they protested against the bill, which, if passed, would stymie refugees in getting international protection and would apply uniform rules without exempting children, families or the elderly.

The legislation would also contravene international laws adopted by Hungary, they said, adding that it would serve “the government’s xenophobic and discriminatory political propaganda purposes”.

The groups have called on lawmakers to reject the bill on Tuesday, according to the statement which was also been signed by the Artemisszio and the Cordelia Foundations, Ebony Africa Hungary, the Menedek – Hungarian Association for Migrants and the Migrant Solidarity Group for Hungary.

Photo: MTI

Source: MTI