Hungary Looks To Ban Pride Events, Allow Facial Recognition To Identify Participants

UPDATE

: The measure passed on March 18, 2025, by a vote of 136-27.

———————————-

Hungary’s governing coalition intensified its assault on the nation’s LGBTQ community today by presenting a bill to parliament aimed at banning Budapest Pride events and permitting authorities to utilize facial recognition technology to identify participants. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (above) alluded to this kind of action just last month.

Freedom of speech?

Freedom of assembly? Not recognized in Orbán’s #Hungary. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m… [image or embed] — Andrew Stroehlein (@andrewstroehlein.bsky.social) March 17, 2025 at 10:27 AM

This legislation would render it illegal to organize or participate in events that contravene Hungary’s controversial “child protection” laws, which forbid the “depiction or promotion” of homosexuality to individuals under 18. Those attending a banned event could face fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints (approximately $546), which the government would allocate to “child protection” efforts. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Budapest’s widely-popular Pride March which draws tens of thousands of participants each year. The passage of the bill is highly likely, given that the ruling coalition holds a two-thirds majority in parliament. This initiative represents the latest action taken against LGBTQ+ individuals by Orbán, whose administration has enacted laws that have been criticized by human rights organizations and various European politicians as oppressive towards sexual minorities. Hungary enacted its “child protection” legislation in 2021 which prohibits the “representation or encouragement” of homosexuality in materials accessible to minors (television, books, movies, etc…). It also restricts the discussion of LGBTQ topics in school settings.

A new anti-LGBTQ+ bill in Hungary would ban Pride event and allow use of facial recognition software

#news #worldnews [image or embed] — News HQ (@newshq.bsky.social) March 17, 2025 at 7:44 AM