Lawmakers in a European country are set to vote in a controversial constitutional amendment to codify the government’s recent ban on Pride events. It would allow authorities to use facial recognition to identify and punish offenders.
Rights campaigners have described the amendment as a “significant escalation” in the Hungarian government’s effort to chip away at human rights. Prime minister Viktor Orbán’s rightwing populist party, Fidesz, says the amendment will protect children from “sexual propaganda”. Meanwhile, the opposition Momentum party has highlighted similarities with restrictions in Russia where Vladimir Putin also champions traditional values and blocks same-sex couples from adopting children.
The amendment only recognises two sexes and will provide a constitutional basis for denying gender identities in Hungary. The government will also be able to suspend Hungarian citizenship for up to 10 years for dual nations who are deemed a threat to the country’s security.
Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a rights group, said: “These laws represent a significant escalation in the government’s efforts to suppress dissent, weaken human rights protection and consolidate its grip on power.” They also said the amendment is being used as a means of “legislating fear” in Hungary.
The Momentum party has called for people to form a blockade at Hungary’s parliament on Monday in a bid to stop lawmakers from voting in the amendment. As reported by The Guardian, they said on social media: “Let’s collectively prevent them from leading us down the Putin road and depriving us of our freedom.”
Lawmakers in Hungary fast-tracked a law that banned public LGBTQ+ events just a month ago. Residents have since protested, chanting “democracy” and “assembly is a fundamental right”.
Ákos Hadházy, an independent lawmaker who campaigns alongside Momentum, said at a recent rally: “This government isn’t just dismantling democracy brick by brick, it’s now going at it with a bulldozer. We are here because we need to act fast to get ahead and stop it.”
The prime minister, who is a self-proclaimed “illiberal leader”, said his government hopes to protect children’s physical, mental and moral development. He has faced extensive criticism for weakening democratic institutions and undermining the rule of law in Hungary.
After he banned Pride events last month, 22 European embassies in Hungary issued a joint statement saying they were concerned about the situation. The embassies included those of the UK, France and Germany.
The EU’s equality commissioner, Hadja Lahbib, said: “Everyone should be able to be who they are, live & love freely. The right to gather peacefully is a fundamental right to be championed across the European Union. We stand with the LGBTQI community – in Hungary & in all member states.”
Meanwhile, the organisers of Budapest Pride said: “This is not child protection, this is fascism.” Their events regularly attract tens of thousands of people and their next march is set to take place on June 28.
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International and the Háttér Society have urged the European Commission to take action against the government. They said the recent changes would “force LGBTQ+ people completely out of the public eye”.
They added: “The changes have overarching consequences that affect fundamental rights well beyond the issue of Pride.”