Stop Soros Laws Enacted — Criminalizes Assisting Asylum Seekers

On June 20, 2018, Hungary enacted the 'Stop Soros' legislative package, including provisions imposing prison sentences of up to one year for anyone assisting irregular migrants to enter or stay in Hungary. Organizations like the Hungarian Helsinki Committee were effectively forced to cease asylum assistance work without a government permit. The UNHCR, Venice Commission, and EU Commission called the laws incompatible with international refugee law and EU directives. The CJEU ruled in 2020 that Hungary's asylum and migration laws violated EU law.