Hungarian parliament has passed a Sleeping law which aims to clear several thousand homeless people off the streets.
The Hungarian parliament has passed a law which aims to clear several thousand homeless people off the streets of Budapest and other towns. The government says the law is designed to help the homeless, and that there are enough places in homeless shelters. But critics deny that, and say the law criminalises the homeless, who could face community work, fines or even imprisonment. The law is due to come into force next week. Those caught sleeping rough in urban areas can be sentenced to community service or a fine, if they either refuse to move on when requested to, or are caught in the same area again. Those who live in shacks in the woods are especially alarmed by one provision in the new law, which allows for those who build such structures without permission to be imprisoned. 'Enough places' Several hundred protesters gathered outside parliament when the law was passed on Monday evening. "Homeless people have always been harassed by the authorities," says Te...