UN blasts targeting of homeless in latest constitution change

A report by the United Nations Human Rights Council slammed Hungary on Wednesday for its recent incorporation into the Basic Law (the constitution) of an amendment that authorises the use of national and municipal legislation to outlaw sleeping in public spaces.
“Through this amendment the Hungarian Parliament institutionalises the criminalisation of homelessness and enshrines discrimination against and stigmatisation of homeless persons in the constitution,” UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights Magdalena Sepúlveda said in her third rebuttal in just over a year of Hungary’s stance on homelessness.
The “rushed amendment process… left no time for public consultation”, Sepúlveda said, calling for the government to retract the amendment and act in line with prior rulings of the Constitutional Court on the issue and with its international obligations.
The amendment, which entitles authorities to ban the “occupation of designated public areas for living purposes”, was one of a raft of changes to the constitution enacted last month to bypass contrary rulings by the Constitutional Court on provisions put forward by the government.

BudapestTimes