U.S. Statement on the Adoption of the UPR Report on Hungary
Delivered by Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe
U.S. Representative to the Human Rights Council
Human Rights Council 18th Session
September 23, 2011
Thank you, Madame President.
The United States welcomes the return of Minister of State for Social Inclusion, Zoltan Belog, congratulates the Hungarian delegation on the adoption of its UPR report. We welcome Hungary’s agreement to support many of the recommendations presented during the UPR Working Group session in July. We look forward to continued cooperation with Hungary on human rights issues of mutual concern and the future work of the Budapest Human Rights Forum.
We greatly appreciate Hungary’s support for our recommendation regarding hate groups, and look forward to the government’s development and implementation of a Roma Program. We further welcome the establishment of the Foundation for the International Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities, highlighted by the Minister today and by Hungary throughout the UPR process. We hope that Hungary will combat rising anti-Semitism.
We commend Hungary’s establishment of a national coordination mechanism to combat human trafficking as well as its cooperation with Switzerland, Italy and Romania on this issue. We also commend its commitment to strengthen measures for the rehabilitation of victims of trafficking.
The United States welcomes Hungary’s support for the United Kingdom’s recommendation regarding the “cardinal laws,” but we remain concerned about amendments to Hungary’s constitution and the passage of the laws such as the media law and the new religion law, as well as those regarding judicial independence. We are encouraged by Hungary’s willingness to discuss these issues openly with us.
Thank you.