Hungarian legislators adopted on Tuesday a law prohibiting pride events and allowing authorities to use facial recognition software to identify participants, pursuing a repression by the right -wing populist party of Prime Minister Viktor Orban on the country’s 2SLGBTQ + community.
The law, supported by the Fidesz d’Orban party and its minority coalition partner, the Christian Democrats, was pushed by Parliament in an accelerated procedure after being subjected only one day earlier. The measure was adopted during a 136-27 vote.
He modifies Hungary’s law to the Assembly to make it an offense to organize or assist events that violate the controversial legislation of “child protection” of Hungary, which prohibits the “representation or promotion” of homosexuality to minors under the age of 18.
Participation in a prohibited event will bring fines up to 200,000 Hungarian to ($ 785 CDN), which the State must transmit to “child protection”, according to the text of the law. Authorities can use facial recognition tools to identify people participating in a prohibited event.
While the vote took place in the Parliament of Hungary in Budapest, the opposition legislators sparked smoke bombs in the room, filling it with thick plumes of smoke.
Budapest Pride Slams Legislation
Budapest Pride, marking its 30th anniversary this year, is expected to take place on June 28.
In a statement on Monday after the legislators submitted the bill, the organizers of Budapest Pride declared that the aim of the law was to “scapegoat” the 2SLGBTQ + community in order to silence the votes criticizing the government of Orban.
“It is not child protection, it is fascism,” wrote the organizers. “The government is trying to restrict peaceful demonstrations in a critical voice by targeting a minority. Therefore, as a movement, we will fight for the freedom of all Hungarians to demonstrate!”
The Orban government has adopted other laws over the years that groups for defending rights and other European politicians have denounced repressive against sexual minorities.
In 2022, the European Union Executive Commission filed a case with the highest EU court against the Child Protection Act in 2021 in Hungary.
The European Commission arose that the law “discriminates people on the basis of their sexual orientation and their gender identity”. The government of Hungary describes itself as a champion of traditional family values and a defender of Christian civilization of what he calls “gender madness” and maintains that his policies are designed to protect children from “sexual propaganda”.
In addition to prohibiting the “representation or promotion” of homosexuality in the content available for minors – including in television, films, advertisements and literature – the law of “child protection” of Hungary also prohibits the mention of 2SLGBTQ + of school education programs and prohibits the public representation of “gender deviating sex at birth”.
