The funding scheme of the Institute serves three main purpose: to support lawyers to lodge specific cases before domestic- as well as international courts; to provide permanent legal aid service, and to foster the elaboration of scientific research and shadow reports relevant from the point of view of advocacy of minority rights. Consequently, the tenders of the Institute are categorized in the following three groups:
1.) Application for carrying a certain case
The tender procedure for individual cases is open for all lawyers, attorneys, law offices, legal councils and civil organisations engaging in litigation, advocating for the protection of human rights and minority rights, or contributing to providing legal protection for minority Hungarians in countries adjacent to Hungary. The Institute has made actions with respect to the following issues:
- Infringement of fundamental human rights and civil liberties, such as the right to free assembly, association and speech
- Physical abuse
- National, ethnic or linguistic discrimination
- Citizenship cases
- Cases pertaining to constitutional rights, as well as administrative cases
- Penal cases
- Ownership lawsuits, and restitution claims
The admissibility of all applications for individual cases is being scrutinized and decided on a case-to-case basis by members of the Foundation for the Protection of Minority Rights, a nongovernmental, non-partisan, non-profit association of respected law professors.
2.) Application for permanent legal assistance services
The partner organisations of the Institute provide legal advice, and free consultancy services, in a transparent manner to local minority Hungarians, on a regular basis, in questions pertaining to possible infringement of human- or minority rights. For more information about the location and office hours of these legal aid offices please visit the “Legal assistance” tab of this homepage.
3.) Application for documentation and monitoring activities
These tenders are open for lawyers, employees of law offices-, NGOs-, advocacy organizations, legal advisors residing in countries neighbouring Hungary, who contribute to explore, and document infringement of rights. The publication of the findings of such documentation activities can be realized either in separate publications or as part of the periodic journals of the Institute (“Kisebbségi Jogok érvényesülése a Kárpát -medencében”, or “Magyarok jogvédelme a Kárpát-medencében”). The Institute also encourages and supports the writing of thematic shadow reports, to monitoring mechanisms of various international fora. Finally, the Institute launches essay competitions for law students, and social scientists on a regular basis to explore topical issues relating to national minorities.
