The Csongrád County Government Office on Thursday said it would turn to the Kúria, Hungary’s supreme court, over a recent decree by the local council of the village of Ásotthalom, in southern Hungary, which, among other things, bans Muslim calls to prayer.
The local council of the small town located 3km from the border with Serbia amended its decree on the “rules of community cohabitation” last November. The amended decree spearheaded by radical nationalist Jobbik Mayor László Toroczkai, who is also a deputy leader of the party, bans the covering of the entire body and head as well as the partial or complete covering of the face. The decree also prohibits the opening of any mosque in town, as well as a ban on construction of any minarets. It also forbids “any kind of propaganda activity” which presents marriage as anything other than a union between a man and a woman. The leadership of the town, which has been affected by the influx of migrants due to its proximity to a major crossing point, has made several anti-migrant statements.
The Csongrád County Government Office said in a statement that upon reviewing the decree it had found it to be in breach of multiple laws. The office argued that Hungary’s act on legislative procedure did not give the local council the power to impose restrictions such as the ones in the November decree. It said the decree also violates clauses of Hungary’s law on the right to assembly as well as the laws on religious freedom and nondiscrimination. Regulations regarding all of these basic rights can only be implemented through statutory laws, the office said. The government office said that unless the local council annuls the restrictions in question, it will turn to the Kuria requesting that it declare the decree unlawful and throw out the provisions in question.
via hungarymatters.hu and MTI