Hungary: Demonstration planned in Budapest January 23 /update 12

Event

Some 1000 people are expected to participate in a protest in front of the Prosecutor General's office in Budapest from 18:00 (local time) to 20:00 on Wednesday, January 23. The demonstration is reportedly being organized to denounce a recent decision made by the Prosecutor General over a December 2018 incident in which opposition members of parliament were thrown out of the state TV headquarters after trying to broadcast their disapproval of controversial new labor laws. A heightened security presence and localized traffic disruptions are to be expected near the demonstration site. Clashes between protesters and security forces cannot be ruled out.

Context

Protests denouncing a controversial labor law and judicial reform first erupted in Hungary on December 12, 2018. President János Áder signed the labor reforms into law despite the protests. Opponents of the law have called the reforms a "slave law"; the law increased the number of overtime hours employers can demand employees to work from 250 to 400 hours a year. It also allows associated overtime payment to be delayed up to three years. On January 3, opposition members of parliament pledged to make 2019 a "year of resistance" against the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Advice

Individuals in Budapest are advised to avoid all demonstrations as a precaution, anticipate localized business and transportation disruptions near protest sites, and obey instructions issued by the local authorities.