UN Expert Praises Religious Freedom in Hungary, Calls for Further Reforms to Combat Discrimination

“Hungary's broad enjoyment of the freedom to have, adopt, and change religion or belief and the ability to associate freely on that basis should be applauded,” Ghanea stated.

A UN expert has commended Hungary for ensuring broad freedom of religion and belief but urged the government to implement further reforms to eliminate discrimination against some religious communities. Nazila Ghanea, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, made the call at the conclusion of her 11-day visit to Hungary, where she assessed the country’s religious freedom landscape.

“Hungary's broad enjoyment of the freedom to have, adopt, and change religion or belief and the ability to associate freely on that basis should be applauded,” Ghanea stated. However, she emphasized that more must be done to ensure all religious communities can operate without discrimination or favouritism.

Ghanea highlighted the 2011 Church Law as a critical turning point in Hungary’s legal framework for religious organizations, which revoked the legal status of nearly 350 religious or belief groups. Although the law was amended in 2018 with a four-tiered system aimed at addressing concerns, Ghanea noted that the changes fell short of fully resolving issues of discrimination.

The preferential funding of certain religious organizations, intended to address historical injustices, requires greater transparency and objectivity, according to Ghanea.

In addition, the Special Rapporteur raised concerns over the prevalence of hate speech in Hungarian society, particularly against Roma, LGBTIQ+ people, asylum seekers, and religious minorities. “Although physical security is generally upheld, the spread of hate speech in social and traditional media is widespread and alarming,” she warned.

During her visit, Ghanea met with Hungarian government officials, civil society representatives, religious communities, and legal authorities, including the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court. In the upcoming report based on her findings, Ghanea will address key areas such as the education and health sectors, social services, and the promotion of religious freedom in institutional settings, including detention facilities.

She expressed hope that her recommendations would contribute to creating a more inclusive environment where religious minorities can practice their beliefs freely and equally in Hungary. 4o  You said: