Office of the commissioner for fundamental rights of hungary

On 5 April 2022, Commissioner for Fundamental Rights Dr. Ákos Kozma held an online meeting with President of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI), Western Australian Ombudsman Mr. Chris Field on the subject of the people fleeing from the war in Ukraine to Hungary.

In the company of Commissioner for Fundamental Rights Dr. Ákos Kozma, Chief Ombudsman of Turkey Mr. Şeref Malkoç and Ombudsman for the Rights of Women and Children Ms. Celile Özlem Tunçak paid a visit to the Hungarian–Ukrainian border to gain information in person about the current situation of the people fleeing the war in Ukraine, the circumstances of their reception and the measures taken to help them.

On 28 March 2022, the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights went to Vienna, where he was received by Mr. Werner Amon, Member of the Austrian Ombudsman Board and Secretary General of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) at the headquarters of the Austrian institution.

On 31 March 2022, the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights received in his Office Chief Ombudsman of Turkey Mr. Şeref Malkoç and Ombudsman for the Rights of Women and Children Ms. Celile Özlem Tunçak.

On 28 March 2022, Ombudsman Dr. Ákos Kozma participated in this year’s first Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting organised by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Vienna on the topic of the international co-operation to address violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

In order to provide direct help to the refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine, the Office of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights opened a new information point at the BOK Sports Hall (Budapest Olympic Centre) on 29 March 2022. From now on, the staff members of the Office of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, which is a National Human Rights Institution accredited by the United Nations, can provide administrative and legal assistance to those turning to them at the humanitarian transit point set up by the Government in Budapest (in addition to Záhony and Beregsurány), while assisting in the humanitarian relief efforts of the capital.