Fidelitas, the youth arm of ruling Fidesz, staged a demonstration in front of the Budapest office of Amnesty International on Wednesday, to protest against ethnic-based attacks on Serbia’s Hungarian minority.
In a petition to Amnesty International, Fidelitas criticised the international human rights organisation for its silence over the anti-Hungarian assaults.
Fidesz lawmaker Gergely Gulyas told participants that AI’s country reports on Serbia had recorded progress in terms of enforcing human rights, but argued that it was “no progress” if citizens of a country could not use their mother tongue without fear or concern.
Gulyas said that human rights organisations should not “pick one or the other minority as if from a buffet” and “do all for one while turn a deaf ear on the grievances of another”.
Fidelitas head Peter Agh said people should stand up in protest when ethnics are attacked just because they are heard speaking Hungarian. He called on AI to assist in stopping anti-Hungarian violence in Serbia.
AI Hungary director Orsolya Jeney, who received the petition, said that her organisation condenmned discrimination of any minority and considered hate-motivated acts as a serious crime.
The demonstration was attended by some 50 young people, who carried signs “Amnesia International” and “We need you now”.
