Stop Soros Law: Persecution of Civil Organizations
2018 law criminalizes assistance to migrants. NGOs forced to leave Hungary, including CEU.
Key Figures
- Viktor Orbán
- George Soros (célpont / target)
- Michael Ignatieff (CEU rektor / rector)
Impact
CEU and OSF relocation, weakening of civil society, ECHR ruling, international isolation
The 'Stop Soros' package criminalized migration assistance in 2018 and targeted NGOs linked to George Soros. The law imposed a 25% special tax on 'pro-immigration' civil organizations on their foreign funding.
As a result, the Open Society Foundations was forced to leave Budapest, followed by Central European University (CEU) relocating to Vienna in 2019 after the government made its operation impossible. Dozens of civil organizations were harassed with raids and investigations.
The European Court of Human Rights found the law violates freedom of association and non-discrimination. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called it an 'unprecedented attack' on civil society.
The 'Stop Soros' campaign also used antisemitic tropes, demonizing George Soros. This is part of the government's xenophobic rhetoric that portrays refugees and civil organizations as enemies.