In a letter to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, published today, Claude Janizzi, the Chairperson of the Council of Europe Lanzarote Committee expressed his concern that the adopted law – “On the amendment of certain acts related to increasing the strictness of procedures carried out in the areas of border management” – will negatively impact on the implementation of the Lanzarote Convention, to which Hungary is party, in mainly two ways:
- Unaccompanied migrant children between 14 and 18 will be considered adults during the emergency crisis and will not benefit from child protection measures, including the appointment of a guardian;
- These children will be placed in transit zones with a greater risk of becoming victims of sexual abuse or exploitation.
As a result of the legal changes, “instead of having access to a guardian and being able to benefit from the child protection system, these children will be considered as adult asylum applicants, and placed in transit zones increasing the risk of becoming a victim of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse,” Janizzi wrote.
