Hungary rejects UN commissioner’s criticism of Hungary’s asylum rules

Budapest (MTI) – Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó on Wednesday rejected UN human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein’s criticism of Hungary’s newly-amended asylum rules, calling the commissioner’s remarks “foul and baseless accusations”.

Hungary’s parliament on Tuesday passed a package of amendments tightening existing asylum regulations and procedural rules concerning the state of emergency due to mass migration.

The high commissioner wrote in an annual report to the UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday that the legislation passed by the Hungarian parliament “falls far short of international norms”, as it prescribes that asylum-seekers must be held in detention in the same area for the entire duration of the asylum procedure. The commissioner also criticised Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s remarks made last week that “ethnic homogeneity” was key for economic success. He said no society was homogenous, adding that “these toxic notions of so-called ethnic purity hark back to an era in which many people suffered atrociously, Hungarians included.”