Hungary: Reports of harassment, racist violence, skinhead attacks or police interference directed at Afghans, Muslims or Arabs in Hungary (1990-2001)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 5 December 2001 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | HUN38209.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Hungary: Reports of harassment, racist violence, skinhead attacks or police interference directed at Afghans, Muslims or Arabs in Hungary (1990-2001), 5 December 2001, HUN38209.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4be3d18.html [accessed 18 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
An 18 October 2001 Human Rights Watch report states that following the September 11 attacks in New York, all Afghan asylum seekers in open reception centres were transferred to "facilities with heightened security measures."
A 4 October 2001 Amnesty report states that, following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York., the Minister of the Interior Minister of Hungary ordered that "800 recognized Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers held in various detention centres for asylum-seekers, be transferred to a facility in Debrecen, where they are to be held isolated from all other foreigners for their own safety." As to October 2001, 2,749 Afghan refugees sought asylum in Hungary in 2001 (The Budapest Sun 18 Oct. 2001).
A September 2000 Amnesty international report states that several Afghan refugees detained at the Nyirbátor detention centre were beaten up by guards in November 1999.
The Amnesty International Report 1997 states that in May 1997 a person by the name of Hamodi Ahmed was brutally assaulted by police officers in Budapest, handcuffed and brought to the police station were he was kicked by several police officers. He was released without charges the following morning and received treatment for his injuries in a Budapest hospital (ibid.).
A 10 August 1995 Hungarian TV report states that the "number of Gypsies, Jews, Arabs or blacks attacked because of the colour of their skin or their religion ... is estimated to reach several dozens."
A June 1995 report published by the Anti-defamation League (ADL) states that, in November 1992, 48 skinheads were convicted of inflicting severe bodily injuries in unprovoked attacks on Africans, Arabs and Gypsies (U.S. Newswire 28 June 1995).
A 25 March 1992 IPS report states over one hundred skinhead attacks on foreign students in Hungary during the first three months of 1992, including Sudanese and Palestinians, have led Arab and African embassies to consider the removal of the students from Hungary.
A 11 September 1990 Hungarian TV broadcast reports on an incident where an Arab student in Kaposvar was attacked by a group of gypsies. Following the incident, a group of Palestinian, Syrian, Kuwaiti and Lebanese fellow students travelled to Kaposvar to take revenge (ibid.). The police brutally stopped the students and arrested 18 of them (ibid.).
An International Islamic News Agency (IINA) report published on the islamiQ.com Website states that, according to the Muslim Association of Hungary, there are at least 3,000 Muslims in the country (11 Sept. 2001).
No further reports of harassment, racist violence, skinhead attacks or police interference directed at Afghans, Muslims or Arabs in Hungary from 1990 to 2001 could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Amnesty International. 4 October 2001. AI-Index 30/027/2001. "The Backlash – Human Rights at Risk Throughout the World."
_____. September 2000. AI Index: EUR 01/03/00. Concerns in Europe January – June 2000.
_____. 1997. Report 1997.
The Budapest Sun Online. 18 October 2001. "Small Town Has Big Fears About Refugees."
Human Rights Watch (HRW). 18 October 2001. "No Safe Refuge."
Hungarian TV [Budapest, in Hungarian]. 8 August 1995. "Minority Affairs: Minister Says Racism Damages Image Abroad." (BBC Summary 10 Aug. 1995/NEXIS)
_____. 8 September 1990. "Clashes between Arab Students and Local Gypsies in Hungary." (NEXIS)
International Islamic News Agency (IINA). 11 September 2000. "Hungary: Muslims Urged to Help Build Schools." IslamiQ.com.
Inter Press Service (IPR). 25 March 1992. Krisztina Fenyo. "Hungary: Skinhead attacks on Foreign Students Worry Embassies." (NEXIS)
U.S" Newswire" 28 June 1995. "Text of ADL Report 'The Skinhead International; A Worldwide Survey of Neo-Nazi Skinheads." (NEXIS)
Additional Sources Consulted
IRB databases
Open Society Institute. 2001. Monitoring the EU Accession Process: Minority Protection. Budapest: Open Society Institute. (Country reports)
Resource Centre Country Files: Hungary
Internet sources including:
Amnesty International
Human Rights Watch (HRW)
International Helsinki Federation (IHF)
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
United States Mission to the OSCE Public Affairs Office (USOSCE)
World News Connection (WNC)
