People’s power to stand up for the rights they believe in gives me hope. We are a group of independent, colorful people who work on causes that matter to us – equality and solidarity.
– Dávid Vig, Amnesty International, Hungary
Born and raised in Budapest, Dávid Vig has directed Amnesty’s Hungarian chapter for the past five years. Doing human rights work has become increasingly difficult under the Orban government. Since 2017, Amnesty and other human rights organisations have been hit with three anti-NGO laws that restrict their activity and add unnecessary administrative burden. The government and government-controlled media delegitimise and dehumanise human rights activists. Dávid and his colleagues regularly receive threats – even personal death threats.
“I do this work out of patriotism. I am proud to come from Central Eastern Europe. I want to make this country better.”
Dávid is critical that the EU response to the Hungarian government’s efforts to erode the rule of law and curtail fundamental rights was too slow, he sees many advantages to being in the EU. “Although the European Union reacted too late, we’ve seen a lot of progress in creating an environment for Hungary to find its way back to respecting the rule of law. All key EU institutions have played a key role in that.”
The EU’s political, legal and financial tools have helped Dávid and his colleagues stand up for rights in Hungary. From providing legal pathways to upholding human rights standards when domestic remedies are missing, to the European Parliament’s monitoring mechanisms and 2018 triggering of the Article 7 procedure that led to hearings in the Council, as well as the Commission’s Rule of Law Report, activists in Hungary benefit from the Union’s toolbox.
No EU country is immune to the populism and illiberalism we see in Hungary, says Dávid. There are populist parties that promote illiberal, and even authoritarian, policies in almost all EU member states. If the EU doesn’t find a common solution, illiberal governments could pop up in every corner of the continent.
“If I could wish for one thing, it would be for the EU to show greater political courage and be a stronger legal activist.”
Dávid encourages the EU to act quicker and ensure that agreed-upon changes are implemented in practice, not just on paper. He also hopes the European Commission will initiate infringement procedures to respond to emerging rights breaches even when the outcome at the Court of Justice isn’t 100% clear.
Civil society organisations and activists have learned how to reach everyday people and build resilience, personally and organisationally. “Civil society has a crucial role in protecting democratic values. We are also an important voice linking everyday people who aren’t organised to politicians who run institutions,” Dávid says. “Loving each other, acting in solidarity, creating a more equal society, and ensuring safety for everyone living in this country matters.”
Dávid Vig is the director of Amnesty International Hungary, one of the country’s leading human rights NGOs. He focuses on rule of law issues, particularly the independence of the judiciary and other independent institutions, and defending civic space. A lawyer and a master in international relations by training, he obtained his PhD degree in 2014. Dávid is also a part-time assistant professor at the Faculty of Law at ELTE University Budapest, where he teaches criminology, penology and penitentiary law.
