News & Blog

Montage of images from different mobilizations and protests across Europe showing the power of protest © Amnesty International
Amnesty International

Sheet of paper Report

Under-Protected and Over-Restricted: The State of the Right to Protest in 21 European Countries

Amnesty International documents that the right of peaceful assembly is increasingly coming under attack in parts of Europe.

July 8, 2024

ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP via Getty Images

Press Release

Hungary’s decision to strip trans people of the right to legal gender recognition is “step back into the dark ages”

Everyone’s gender identity should be legally recognized and everyone must be allowed to change their legal name and gender markers…

May 19, 2020

MOSCOW REGION, RUSSIA - APRIL 20, 2020: Russia's President Vladimir Putin during a video conference meeting on the COVID-19 coronavirus situation in Russia, at Novo-Ogaryovo residence. Alexei Druzhinin/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS (Photo by Alexei DruzhininTASS via Getty Images)

Press Release

Workshop for media to examine human rights and response to COVID-19 in Hungary and Russia

As part of a series of workshops exploring human rights concerns related to the COVID-19 response, Amnesty International USA will…

April 20, 2020

Monday 4 June, Amnesty International placed a giant heart balloon outside the Parliament in Budapest. The 10x10x5 meter red heart was there to tell Hungarian MPs that people working for a fair and safe Hungary need to be protected, not attacked or threatened. Therefore, the draconian legislative proposal submitted by the government to the Parliament – dubbed ‘Stop Soros’ and aiming to criminalise those helping refugees and migrants and to instil fear and silence civil society - must be voted down. . The face of the heart balloon installation was the “Civil” symbol - - logo of over 250 organizations working in coalition in Hungary for rights and freedoms. The giant heart is a symbol of the strong and heartfelt worldwide support for civil society, organisations and activists, working for a Hungary that is fair and safe for all. More than 22,000 people from 50+ countries around the world have sent messages of support to NGOs in Hungary both offline and online, which have also been collected in a booklet of solidarity that was handed over to MPs.

Sheet of paper Report

Mass protests in Europe provide hope as rights and judicial independence eroded

People’s rights are being violated by governments in Europe and Central Asia, who are cracking down on protests and seeking…

April 16, 2020

A lorry disinfects a street on March 30, 2020 in Budapest
A lorry disinfects a street on March 30, 2020 in Budapest amid the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by ATTILA KISBENEDEK / AFP) (Photo by ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP via Getty Images)

Press Release

Granting Government in Hungary Unlimited Powers Under New COVID-19 Law is Disturbing Development

Following the decision by the Hungarian parliament to pass a new law that will allow the government to rule by…

March 30, 2020

Protesters take part in a demonstration as part of a global day of student protests aiming to push world leaders into action on climate change on March 15, 2019, on the Old Port in Marseille, southeastern France. - The worldwide youth protests were inspired by a Swedish teen activist who camped out in front of parliament in Stockholm last year to demand action from world leaders on global warming. (Photo by Christophe SIMON / AFP) (Photo credit should read CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images)

Press Release

Amnesty Chief Urges Schools to Let Children Take Part in Climate Strikes

Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Kumi Naidoo, has written a personal plea to more than 27,000 schools around the world today…

September 10, 2019

A participant knees in front of the riot police line outside the headquarter of the Hungarian state television as demonstrators of a rally by members and sympathisers of several trade unions, political parties and civil organisations protest against changes to the labour code proposed by the Prime Minister's party in Budapest on December 16, 2018. (Photo by PETER KOHALMI / AFP) (Photo credit should read PETER KOHALMI/AFP/Getty Images)

Press Release

Hungary: Police must rein in unnecessary and excessive force used against protesters

The police must rein in unnecessary and excessive force, including the use of tear gas, against peaceful protesters, Amnesty International…

December 17, 2018

'Showing our love for Hungary' on 26 April 2018, ahead of a European Parliament meeting on Hungary, at which the Hungarian Foreign Minister addressed MEPs .EIO Director Iverna McGowan spoke to the media.

Press Release

Hungary: Amnesty launches legal challenge to shameful law on migration that targets civil society

Amnesty International will challenge in court the constitutionality of Hungary’s controversial law that criminalizes with up to one year in…

October 15, 2018

Press Release

Amnesty International staff targeted with malicious spyware

An Amnesty International staff member has been targeted by a sophisticated surveillance campaign, in what the organization suspects was a…

August 1, 2018

A young migrant boy waits in front of the Hungarian border fence at the Tompa border station transit zone on April 6, 2017 as the Hungarian Interior Minister Sandor Pinter (not pictured) presents the camp to the media. The migrant transit complex on the Hungarian side of the border has been expanded to become one of two new detention centers for asylum seekers in the Hungarian transit zone and contains shipping containers that are used to automatically detain migrants in the transit zone while their claims are investigated. / AFP PHOTO / ATTILA KISBENEDEK (Photo credit should read ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP/Getty Images)

Press Release

Hungary: Draconian anti-NGO law will be resisted every step of the way

Following the passing in Hungary of a package of punitive laws, including one criminalizing lawful migration-related work by activists and…

June 20, 2018

Press Release

Hungary: “We will continue to resist the rollback of human rights”

In the wake of the apparent victory of President Orban's party, Fidesz, in Hungary’s general election, Amnesty International’s Europe Director,…

April 8, 2018

Press Release

Hungary: New law poses existential threat to NGOs

A new bill which would penalize NGOs that support migration is a deeply disturbing and unjustified assault on civil society,…

February 14, 2018