Congressman Cohen Writes to Condemn Anti-Democratic Attacks on Academic Freedom in Hungary
In letter to Orban, says suffocating free expression “suffocates democracy”
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (or CSCE, also known as the Helsinki Commission), tonight wrote to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to condemn the crackdown on academic freedom in his country and recent limitations on freedom of expression. Congressman Cohen noted that the OSCE expressed a similar concern in a resolution passed in 2017.
The Congressman's letter reads in part:
"It is deeply disappointing that your government has transferred several universities to private foundations ruled by boards of directors that are loyal to the government. Democracy and art flourish when ideas are expressed freely and openly. Any attempts to suffocate the expression of these ideas, suffocates democracy."
See the entire letter here.