Hungarian Constitutional Changes Threaten its Religious Freedom

Thursday, March 21, 2013 | Tag Cloud | Learn about out FREE SYNDICATION

By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (Worthy News)– The Hungarian government has been criticized for changes to the country’s constitution that threaten religious freedoms and other rights.

Constitutional amendments adopted by the government in March were the latest in a series of changes described by Human Rights Watch (HRW) as “problematic”. For example, a new law granted state recognition to only 14 religious groups while refusing to recognize the rest, resulting in the loss of official status for more than 300 Protestant sects and minor Catholic religious orders.

Although the Hungarian Constitutional Court struck down some of the laws introduced by the government, the latest amendments reintroduced the same laws by changing the constitution and canceling the Constitutional Court’s power to overrule those changes.

In response, thousands of Hungarians staged a demonstration in front of the presidential palace while opposition leaders hung black flags from the windows of parliament to mourn the end of Hungarian democracy.

HRW has called for the EU to consider suspending Hungary’s voting rights and a spokesman for the European Commission said it won’t rule out sanctions to ensure that Hungary complies with EU law.

We're being CENSORED ... HELP get the WORD OUT! SHARE!!!
Fair Use Notice:This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Worthy Christian News