Video: New Law in Hungary Makes Helping Migrants a Crime

A bill passed by the Hungarian Parliament would criminalize efforts to help migrants and asylum seekers and curb their access to protection.

The law amends nine existing laws related to asylum, the national border, and the police. It creates a new criminal offense in the Criminal Code of “enabling illegal immigration,” which is defined to include helping asylum seekers who are “not eligible for protection,” as well as to include border monitoring, producing and disseminating information, or “network building.” If committed “regularly,” or with the aim of “help[ing] several persons,” the offense would be considered aggravated. Anyone convicted would face a sentence of up to a year in prison.

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