Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2002, published 91st ILC session (2003)

Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105) - Hungary (Ratification: 1994)

1. The Committee has noted the information provided by the Government in reply to its earlier comments. It has noted, in particular, the provisions of the Act on Radio and Television Broadcasting, 1996, supplied by the Government with its report.

2. Article 1(a) of the Convention. The Committee previously noted the provisions of the Penal Code imposing penal sanctions of imprisonment (involving an obligation to work) in cases of incitement to agitation against the law or authorities (section 268), agitation against communities (section 269) and disturbance of the public order by openly declaring false facts or by spreading rumours (section 270). The Committee asked the Government to supply information on the application in practice of these provisions. The Government indicates in its report that no cases have been tried in 1997-99 under section 268, whereas a certain number of cases have been tried in 1997-2000 under sections 269 and 270, though no person is presently serving a prison term for violating their provisions. The Committee requests the Government to indicate, in its next report, whether any of the cases between 1997-2000 under sections 269 and 270 resulted in sentences of imprisonment and if so, what number and the length of the sentences. The Committee also requests copies of the court decisions passed under the abovementioned sections of the Penal Code defining or illustrating their scope.

3. Referring also to its comments addressed to the Government under Convention No. 29, the Committee has noted the Government’s indication in its report that the elaboration of the Order on the penitentiary system, which shall include the arrangements for "public utility labour", is currently in progress, and that such arrangements would satisfy the workforce demand of local governments in such areas as environmental protection, public utilities, etc. The Committee requests the Government to supply a copy of the abovementioned Order, as soon as it is adopted, and to describe the application in practice of the programme of implementation of "public utility labour", which, according to the Government’s report, will start in the near future.