Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has approved a law proposed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s party, which bans LGBTQ+ communities from holding the annual Pride event.
Despite strong criticism from human rights activists, who claim it violates the right to peaceful assembly, the law has been passed and signed. According to Reuters, the document states that hosting Pride events may be considered harmful to children. Additionally, the law allows police to use facial recognition systems to identify participants and impose fines on them.
Viktor Orbán has long been a critic of the LGBTQ+ community, which has repeatedly caused tensions between his government and the European Union. EU Commissioner for Equality Hadja Lahbib emphasized that the right to peaceful assembly is fundamental and must be upheld across the EU.
The bill was introduced to parliament by the ruling Fidesz party on March 17. The following day, it was approved by a majority vote: 136 deputies supported the initiative, while 27 voted against it.
