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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/18/hungary-bans-pride-events-and-plans-to-use-facial-recognition-to-target-attenders>
"MPs in Hungary have voted to ban Pride events and allow authorities to use
facial recognition software to identify attenders and potentially fine them, in
what Amnesty International has described as a “full-frontal attack” on LGBTQ+
people.
The legislation – the latest by the prime minister, Viktor Orbán, and his
rightwing populist party to target LGBTQ+ rights – was pushed through
parliament on Tuesday. Believed to be the first of its kind in the EU’s recent
history, the nationwide ban passed by 136 votes to 27 after it was submitted to
parliament one day earlier.
It amends the country’s law on assembly to make it an offence to hold or attend
events that violate Hungary’s contentious “child protection” legislation, which
bars any “depiction or promotion” of homosexuality to minors under the age of
18.
The legislation was condemned by Amnesty International, which described it as
the latest in a series of discriminatory measures the Hungarian authorities
have taken against LGBTQ+ people.
“The spurious justification for the passing of this law – that events and
assemblies would be ‘harmful to children’ – is based on harmful stereotypes and
deeply entrenched discrimination, homophobia and transphobia,” it said in a
statement.
“This law is a full-frontal attack on the LGBTI community and a blatant
violation of Hungary’s obligations to prohibit discrimination and guarantee
freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” it said, adding that the ban
would turn the clock back 30 years in Hungary by undermining hard-won rights.
Hadja Lahbib, the EU commissioner for equality, suggested the new law
contravened the values of the 27-nation bloc, posting: “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.
After lawmakers first submitted the bill on Monday, the organisers of Budapest
Pride said the law was aimed at turning the LGBTQ+ minority into a “scapegoat”
in order to silence critics of Orbán’s government.
“This is not child protection, this is fascism,” organisers wrote. Budapest
Pride will mark its 30th anniversary this year, bringing together thousands of
people to make visible the community’s struggle for freedom, safety and equal
rights even as those in power continually seek to dehumanise them, it noted.
“The government is trying to restrict peaceful protests with a critical voice
by targeting a minority,” it added. “Therefore, as a movement, we will fight
for the freedom of all Hungarians to demonstrate.”"
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
