Europe's rights body says Hungary's transparency bill threatens human rights

4/6/2025 7:12

The Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights has called on Hungarian lawmakers to reject or amend a bill that targets foreign-funded NGOs and media, citing concerns over human rights violations.



In a letter published on Wednesday and addressed to parliament Speaker Laszlo Kover, Commissioner Michael O'Flaherty said the legislation "allows for severe interferences in the functioning of civil society organisations, to the point that the continuation of their activities may become impossible."



The Council of Europe, the continent's leading human rights watchdog, was formed after World War Two to uphold rights and the rule of law.



Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's ruling Fidesz party submitted a bill to parliament on May 14 that would draw up a list of organisations that get foreign funding and restrict or even shut them down if deemed to threaten Hungary's sovereignty and its culture.