alapjogi

Alapjogi is a Hungarian legal term: an adjective built from alap (fundamental) and jog (right). It is used to describe matters related to fundamental rights, i.e., the rights guaranteed by the constitution or by higher law. In Hungarian legal language, fundamental rights are commonly called alapjogi jogok or simply alapjogok. The term appears in legislation, court decisions, and legal scholarship to denote protections, procedures, or questions connected with these rights.

In practice, alapjogi rights cover areas such as freedom of expression, personal liberty, equality before the law, assembly and association, religion, privacy, and due process. The Fundamental Law of Hungary (Alaptörvény) enshrines and protects these rights, though the exact catalogue can evolve through amendments and through European Union law and jurisprudence.

Alapjogi is also used to label institutions and mechanisms that safeguard these rights. A key example is the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights (Alapvető Jogok Biztosa), commonly referred to as the ombudsman, an independent body that can investigate complaints against public bodies, monitor compliance with fundamental rights, and issue recommendations. The term appears in phrases such as alapjogi védelem (protection of fundamental rights) and alapjogi jogorvoslatok (remedies for fundamental rights).

Historically, the focus on fundamental rights in Hungary has grown since the late 20th century, with the 2011 Fundamental Law integrating these protections into a modern constitutional framework and aligning national standards with European human rights norms.