by Rex Wockner
Hungary's Parliament passed legislation in early November extending hate-crime laws to cover members "of a social group" and making it possible to initiate civil proceedings against someone who engages in degrading or intimidating behavior toward another based on "sexual orientation."
The changes need the approval of President Laszlo Solyom and also must be able to withstand possible Constitutional Court challenges.
The court previously has struck down so-called hate-speech laws on freedom-of-speech grounds.
