Freedom House: The government of Hungary has resorted to tactics reminiscent of the darkest days of dictatorship

US-based human rights watchdog Freedom House on Friday slammed the Hungarian government’s nationwide billboard and television campaign concerning civil organisations saying that it was “vilifying” NGOs and refugees.

“The government of Hungary has resorted to tactics reminiscent of the darkest days of dictatorship in its vilification of refugees, and civil society organizations that advocate an orderly, humane policy of immigration,” Freedom House President Michael Abramowitz said in a statement.

“The imagery and language used by Prime Minister [Viktor] Orbán‘s government is deeply offensive and indeed anti-Semitic, especially its targeting of the Open Society Foundations and its Hungarian-born founder, George Soros,” Abramowitz added.

He said Soros’s organisation was working to secure fundamental freedoms for all Hungarians, including minorities. Abramowitz said it was inappropriate of the Hungarian government to concern itself with Soros’s political views.

“The government’s demonization of refugees and of civil society should offend all who value basic human rights and open, democratic societies,” the statement said.

Freedom House offical site said, Hungary is rated Free in Freedom in the World 2017, Partly Free in Freedom of the Press 2017, Free in Freedom on the Net 2016, and receives a democracy score of 3.54, on a scale of 1 to 7, with 7 as the worst possible score, in Nations in Transit 2017.

Photo: MTI

Source: MTI