Hungary bans LGBT pride marches – AP

A majority of Hungarian lawmakers have voted to ban LGBT pride marches and allow facial recognition software to identify participants, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday, March 18.

The ban on LGBT pride marches was passed by a vote of 136 to 27. The new law bans Pride marches and allows authorities to use facial recognition software to identify participants. The law was supported by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party and its coalition partners, the Christian Democrats.

“The bill amends Hungary’s law on assembly to make it an offense to hold or attend events that violate Hungary’s contentious “child protection” legislation, which prohibits the “depiction or promotion” of homosexuality to minors under 18,” the report said.

Participants in banned events will be fined up to 200,000 Hungarian forints (USD 546). Authorities may use facial recognition to identify those attending a banned event.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, on March 17, the Hungarian Fidesz party wants to ban LGBT pride parades in the country and punish those who attend them with fines or imprisonment.