Hungary hardens immigration line

Media sources reported in February 2017 on the introduction in Hungary of stricter procedures in dealing with immigrants. A government spokesperson mentioned that these would be kept in detention 'shelters' indefinitely in order to stop them traveling freely within Europe.

Human Rights Watch and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee said in a 24 February 2017 letter to the European Commission that it would call for it to intervene.

Hungary's parliament approved on 7 March 2017 the automatic detention of all asylum seekers in container camps at its borders.

The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) called on European Union states on the 10 April 2017 not to send asylum seekers back to Hungary under the Dublin regulation. The call came after Hungary had imposed mandatory detention for people seeking asylum.

• Primary Source

The Guardian, 07.02.17: Hungary submits plans to EU to detain all asylum seekers https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/07/hungary-submits-plans-automatically-detain-all-asylum-seekers-donald-trump-viktor-orban-zoltan-kovacs

Deutsche Welle, 09.02.17: Hungary plans to detain migrants in shipping containers http://dw.com/p/2XHkB

EurActiv, 09.02.17: Hungary ready to build another fence on southern border http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/hungary-ready-to-build-another-fence-on-southern-border/

B92, 09.02.17: Hungarian army completes construction of border base http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region.php?yyyy=2017&mm=02&dd=09&nav_id=100464

EurActiv, 07.03.17: Hungary decides to detain asylum-seekers in ‘container camps’ http://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/hungary-decides-to-detain-asylum-seekers-in-container-camps/

EUObserver, 07.03.17: Hungary to detain asylum seekers in shipping containers https://euobserver.com/migration/137143

Euro|Topics: Debates, March 2017: Hungary to detain refugees http://www.eurotopics.net/en/175760/hungary-to-detain-refugees

ESO: Background information: Hungarian migrant quota referendum, 2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/hungarian-migrant-quota-referendum-2016/

ESO: Background information: Voters back Viktor Orbán’s rejection of EU migrant quotas | Orbán loses his referendum gamble, remains defiant http://www.europeansources.info/record/voters-back-viktor-orbans-rejection-of-eu-migrant-quotas-orban-loses-his-referendum-gamble-remains-defiant/

Politico, 07.03.17: Hungary approves detention ‘transit zones’ for asylum seekers http://www.politico.eu/article/hungary-approves-detention-transit-zones-for-asylum-seekers/

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee: News, 24.02.17: Draft Law Tramples Asylum Seekers’ Rights – EU Should Seek To Halt Plan to Hold Asylum Seekers in Transit Zones http://www.helsinki.hu/en/draft-law-tramples-asylum-seekers-rights-eu-should-seek-to-halt-plan-to-hold-asylum-seekers-in-transit-zones/

Hungary: Government: News, 07.03.17: We have gained time to reinforce our lines of defence http://www.kormany.hu/en/the-prime-minister/news/we-have-gained-time-to-reinforce-our-lines-of-defence

The Conversation, 03.04.17: Open to those who can pay: the hypocrisy of how Hungary treats asylum seekers https://theconversation.com/open-to-those-who-can-pay-the-hypocrisy-of-how-hungary-treats-asylum-seekers-75333

Deutsche Welle, 28.03.17: Hungary opens shipping container camp for refugees http://dw.com/p/2a5D

Deutsche Welle, 10.04.17: UN refugee agency calls for halt to asylum-seeker transfers to Hungary http://p.dw.com/p/2b089

UNHCR: Press Release, 10.04.17: UNHCR urges suspension of transfers of asylum-seekers to Hungary under Dublin http://www.unhcr.org/uk/news/press/2017/4/58eb7e454/unhcr-urges-suspension-transfers-asylum-seekers-hungary-under-dublin.html

EurActiv, 11.04.17: UN urges EU to stop sending migrants to Hungary http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/un-urges-eu-to-stop-sending-migrants-to-hungary/

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