GAP, through the Whistleblowing International Network, endorses the statement below and supports Hungarian NGOs trying to maintain their independence from government.
Stop Targeting Hungarian NGOs!
Since its re-election, the Hungarian government launched a campaign attacking the credibility of Hungarian NGOs. Moreover, the government is attempting to gain control over NGO funding now distributed independently of the government. We believe that a dynamic and independent civil society plays a fundamental role in a democratic society, as it is one of the key checks and balances to governing power. The harassment of the civil sector can easily lead to the criminalization of NGOs and could effectively hinder their work. We stand in solidarity with the Hungarian NGOs and call on the Hungarian and all other governments to refrain from suppressing civil society and the organizations the public forms, joins and funds.
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Bea Edwards is Executive & International Director of the Government Accountability Project, the nation’s leading whistleblower protection and advocacy organization.