Hungarian ombudsman orders probe into conditions at orphanage

The ombudsman for fundamental rights has ordered a review of the conditions at a children’s home in Kalocsa, in southern Hungary, based on media reports and lawmaker accounts of “serious concerns” and allegations regarding the institution, the ombudsman’s office said on Monday.

Independent MP Bernadett Szél announced that she was turning to the ombudsman and the human resources ministry over reports of child abuse at the Kalocsa orphanage in August last year.

The ombudsman’s office said in a statement that

it had conducted a surprise inspection of the children’s home last Thursday, interviewing children and staff.

Ákos Kozma, the ombudsman for fundamental rights, will release a report of the investigation’s findings, including on the operations of the orphanage and the enforcement of children’s fundamental rights, once the review is concluded, they added.

As we wrote before, there may be ten to twenty-five times more victims of child abuse in Hungary than a study anticipated. Unfortunately, the pandemic only worsened the situation, read details HERE.

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Source: MTI