Introduction
President Katalin Novák Resigns Amid Clemency Scandal
On 10th February 2024, Hungarian President Katalin Novák announced her resignation in an extraordinary broadcast on TV channel M1. This followed Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s decision to amend the constitution, preventing clemency for individuals convicted of crimes against minors, in response to Novák’s controversial pardon of Endre K., linked to a paedophilia cover-up. Novák admitted her mistake, apologising to those affected and emphasising her commitment to the protection of children. “I made a mistake. The decision to pardon and the lack of justification were capable of generating doubts. But there is no doubt here, and there cannot be,” she said. Former justice minister Judit Varga also resigned, taking political responsibility for proposing the pardon.
Scandal Surrounds New President
On 26th May 2023, Tamás Sulyok, President of the Constitutional Court, was elected as the President of the Hungarian Republic by the Fidesz-majority Parliament. Sulyok, the joint candidate of Fidesz and KDNP, secured 134 votes, becoming the country’s seventh president since the regime change. A 67-year-old lawyer, Sulyok has held various positions, including teaching constitutional law and serving as an honorary Austrian consul. He joined the Constitutional Court in 2014 and became its President in 2016. Although Sulyok claims to be disinterested in party politics, his judicial activities often align with Fidesz's views. He played significant roles in politically charged cases, such as the government's election law violations and the criminalisation of homelessness. Critics argue his decisions often support the government's stance.
On 28th May 2024, Párbeszéd MP Bence Tordai announced that the opposition was pushing for an extraordinary parliamentary session to discuss impeachment proceedings against Sulyok. This move follows revelations of Sulyok’s alleged involvement in criminal activities, particularly his purported role in selling Hungarian agricultural land to foreign entities between 2010 and 2012.
Pro-Putin Moves: Hungary's Belated Ratification of Sweden's NATO Membership and Other Recent Developments
On 26th February 2024, the Hungarian Parliament finally approved Sweden’s NATO membership after nearly two years of diplomatic disputes. Hungary was the last country to agree to Sweden's admission, having initially resisted but ultimately conceding. Sweden abandoned its long-standing nonalignment policy following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and sought security within NATO.
Hungary's diplomatic relations have soured with the United States. On 12th March 2024, instead of commemorating the 25th NATO anniversary of Hungary joining NATO, the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the US ambassador to demand explanations for President Biden's comments regarding Orbán's alleged authoritarian tendencies. Subsequent discussions between Hungarian officials and the US ambassador only exacerbated tensions, with the ambassador accusing Budapest of fostering anti-American sentiment and deepening ties with Russia.
Furthermore, Hungary is also facing accusations of not only indirectly sympathising with the Putin regime in Russia, but also directly supporting it. In April 2024, reports surfaced of Hungarian politicians accepting Russian funds to disseminate pro-Moscow propaganda across Europe, raising concerns about foreign interference in EU affairs. Additionally, an investigation by Vsquare uncovered Hungary's lobbying efforts to shield three Russian oligarchs from impending EU sanctions, further highlighting Hungary's perceived alignment with Russian interests.
Freedom of peaceful assembly
Péter Magyar's Political Revolution: A Wave of Protests in Hungary
Since March 2024, a wave of protests has swept through Hungary, as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to express their dissatisfaction with the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. At the forefront of these protests is Péter Magyar, a rising star of the Hungarian opposition, who gained prominence after a widely-viewed interview on 11th February 2024. In the interview, Magyar railed against corruption within the government and highlighted the declining quality of life in the country. Magyar, who is the ex-husband of former justice minister Judit Varga, has close ties to Hungary's political elite.
Following the viral spread of his revelations related to government corruption, protests erupted across the country. Opposition leaders in Budapest organised a massive demonstration on 15th March 2024, where tens of thousands gathered to express their discontent. Magyar himself called for an anti-government rally on Andrássy Avenue, further fuelling the movement.
On 26th March, Magyar published an audio recording on social media in which his estranged ex-wife and ex-minister Judit Varga allegedly admitted that government officials had persuaded prosecutors to tamper with evidence in a major corruption case. That day, thousands of people marched near parliament demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Orbán. Protesters, many carrying torches, chanted “Resign, resign” as they moved towards the parliament building.
The movement reached its peak on 6th April 2024, when Péter Magyar drew over 100,000 demonstrators in the largest rally yet against Orbán's government. Magyar announced he would contest the upcoming EU elections and launched an online campaign for MEP candidates. The protests continued into May, with thousands gathering in Debrecen, Hungary's second-largest city, on 5th May 2024 to show their support for Magyar. Addressing the crowd, he criticised Orbán's policies and called for unity, cooperation, and peace, as supporters proudly waved Hungarian flags bearing the names of towns and villages from across the country.
On 26th April 2024, tens of thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Budapest, once again led by Péter Magyar, to demand genuine reforms to protect children's rights.
Protests against child abuse and controversial child protection campaign
On 16th February 2024, Budapest saw one of its largest protests in recent history, with between 100,000 and 150,000 demonstrators calling for meaningful reforms to Hungary’s child protection system. The protest was ignited by public outrage over President Katalin Novák’s pardon in a child sexual abuse case. The demonstration was organised by popular Hungarian online influencers.
The case that sparked the protests dates back to September 2019, when János V., former director of the Bicske orphanage, was convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison for sexually abusing minors under his care. Katalin Novák had served as Minister of Family Affairs at the time, before assuming the presidency at the end of 2021. On 2nd February 2024, independent outlet 444.hu revealed that, in her role as President, Novák had granted a pardon to Endre K., János V.’s accomplice who helped cover up his crimes, in April 2023. This revelation led to widespread public outrage and ultimately to her resignation.
The scandal shone a spotlight on the wider problem of sexual abuse of minors and raised serious questions about the government's “child protection” campaign, which saw them propose a package of laws aimed at toughening penalties for paedophiles and improving child safety in April 2024. According to experts, instead of bringing about positive change and implementing the necessary reforms, these changes have actually made the situation worse. They warn amendments supported by Fidesz neglect systemic violence in childcare institutions and fail to provide mechanisms to prevent abuse. Instead, they have introduced the alarming concept of regulating the “flawless way of life” of professionals working in child protection, which can lead to intimidation and blackmail of social workers, guardians and teachers.
Additionally, the government has used these reforms to further stigmatise the LGBTQI+ community under the pretext of protecting children. Amendments to the 2021 Child Protection Law have extended its scope from books, magazines, and films, to also include toys, such as dolls and Lego bricks, as reported by Hungarian media critical of the government. On 24th April 2024, new regulations were enacted, forbidding the display or sale of goods promoting deviations from birth-assigned sex, gender changes, or homosexuality within 200 metres of institutions such as schools, childcare facilities, and religious venues.
Farmers’ protests
In February and March 2024, Hungarian farmers protested against the European Commission's decision to extend unlimited imports of Ukrainian agricultural products, expressing concerns about the negative impact on Hungarian agriculture.
On 12th February 2024, around 1,000 farmers gathered near the Hungary-Ukraine border crossing in Záhony to oppose the proposal to extend unrestricted imports of Ukrainian agricultural goods for another year. Organised by the Hungarian farmers' association MAGOSZ and the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture (NAK), the protest saw farmers block traffic towards the border with their tractors and trucks.
On 16th February 2024, several hundred farmers held another protest at the Hungarian-Ukrainian border, displaying slogans and banners critical of the European Union. The centrepiece of this demonstration was a coffin, symbolising the harm caused to farmers by EU regulations. From 9th to 11th March 2024, farmers and beekeepers also staged protests in central Budapest, condemning both EU and national agricultural policies.
HCLU continues to challenge ban on pro-Palestinian protests
As previously reported by the CIVICUS Monitor, following the Hamas attack on Israel on 7th October 2023 and Israel's subsequent bombardment of occupied Palestinian territories, the Hungarian police, despite the peaceful intentions of organisers, prohibited all demonstrations expressing solidarity with Palestine, citing foreign policy issues and vague concerns about the possibility of violence. On 13th October 2023, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated in a Kossuth Radio interview that no one in Hungary has the right to protest in support of terrorists. However, Dániel Döbrentey, deputy head of the Political Freedom Program at the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU), argued that the police made clear distinctions between the parties involved in the conflict, as pro-Israeli protests were allowed.
The HCLU contested the police’s ban on one of the protests in court, highlighting in its statement that the protest organisers’ intent was to advocate for peace, rather than express support for either side in the conflict. However, as previously reported, the Supreme Court ruled against them, a decision they appealed to the Constitutional Court in January 2024. At the same time, the HCLU filed an urgent complaint with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, bypassing all domestic remedies due to the time-sensitive nature of the issue.
Neo-Nazi rally banned
For the fourth year in a row, the Hungarian police banned the annual “Day of Honor” demonstration, which commemorates Hungarian and German troops’ attempt to break out of besieged Budapest at the end of World War II. Scheduled for 12th February 2024, the event draws far-right and neo-Nazi groups from across Europe, including the Western Balkans. In its decision, which was confirmed by the Supreme Court, the Budapest Police Department justified the ban by citing the likely presence of extremists and the potential for speeches that could incite fear.
However, as in previous years, those wishing to commemorate the event could still participate in the “Day of Honor” hiking tour. Since, according to the organisers, this is not an assembly in the sense that the participants are gathering to express their opinion on a public matter, but a recreational event, the organisers are not obliged to notify the police in advance.
In its statement, the HCLU emphasised that restrictions on an assembly are legitimate if it would interfere with the rights and freedom of others. However, they noted that this requires very careful consideration, since “the fact that a demonstration, a march, a gathering is provocative and outrageous and displeases many people does not in itself constitute an interference with the rights and freedom of others”. They further added that counter-demonstrations and “countless other” forms of expressing dissent are available to those who wish to do so, “which is to be welcomed from the point of view of the development of a democratic public sphere”.
Chilling effect on freedom of assembly
According to Dániel Döbrentey of the HCLU, the dynamics of freedom of assembly in Hungary have shifted significantly due to the events surrounding the student protests that took place in 2023. As the CIVICUS Monitor previously reported, some of the protests that took place in May 2023, which were originally organised to advocate for educational reform, turned violent, not because of the behaviour of the students themselves, but because of police intervention. Despite minimal aggression from the students, such as shouting, throwing empty PET bottles towards the riot police and minor actions such as dismantling barriers, the police responded with disproportionate force, including the multiple use of tear gas. According to Döbrentey, this reduced both the frequency of protests and the number of students taking part, suggesting a chilling effect on the demonstrators. In addition, students were prosecuted for seemingly minor offences such as wearing masks during demonstrations. Döbrentey believes that such actions by the police are aimed at intimidating students and undermining their confidence in exercising their rights, which may deter them from participating in future protests.
Freedom of expression
New press freedom reports paint concerning picture
The latest reports on press freedom in Hungary paint a concerning picture of media conditions in the country.
According to the 2024 World Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in May 2024, Hungary ranks 67th globally in press freedom. The report highlights the concerning trend of several politicians, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, attempting to curtail independent journalism.
The Civil Liberties Union for Europe's Media Freedom Report 2024, published in April 2024, condemns the situation in Hungarian media, noting the concentration of media ownership in a few hands closely associated with the ruling party. The report emphasises the risk of biassed reporting and lack of diversity in information sources due to this concentration of ownership.
On 14th March 2024, the International Press Institute (IPI) released a report titled “Watching the Watchdogs”, presenting case studies on Hungary and Greece, to shed light on the threat to media freedom in Europe posed by spyware. The Pegasus spyware in Hungary targeted journalists, media owners and critics of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government. The report reveals shortcomings in the legal framework and the misuse of national security justifications for surveillance. It also highlights the complete lack of accountability, with the Hungarian government refusing to co-operate with the European Parliament's investigation and relying on the blanket pretext of “national security” to justify the spying.
Furthermore, in a research report published on 11th March 2024, the HCLU shows how lawsuits based on the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are aimed at silencing the press in Hungary. The increasing number of such lawsuits, which are usually initiated by people close to the government, drain the resources of independent media and in certain cases lead to self-censorship.
CPAC Hungary bans journalists for being ‘woke’
The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Hungary, which took place on 25th and 26th April 2024 has garnered attention for excluding journalists and declaring itself a "no woke zone."
In a rejection letter to a journalist from Dutch public television, the organiser, the Centre for Fundamental Rights, wrote: “Thank you for your interest in CPAC Hungary. We regret to inform you that we are unable to accommodate your registration request at this time. As organisers, we must uphold one of the conference’s ironclad rules: CPAC is a NO WOKE ZONE. We look forward to seeing you in the future, when your organisation becomes significantly less woke.”
This year marked the third international CPAC event hosted in Hungary. The original CPAC in the United States is closely associated with the far-right wing of the American Republican Party. At the Hungarian event, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán delivered the keynote speech, joined by several far-right European leaders. The Centre for Fundamental Rights, which organised the conference, is generously funded by the Hungarian state. CPAC Hungary followed a similar policy in 2023, barring media outlets that do not align ideologically with the organiser.
Hungarian independent media banned from Prime Minister Orbán’s State of the Nation address
Several Hungarian and international media outlets were denied access to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's annual "State of the Nation" address on 17th February 2024, local media reported. The Civil Hungary Foundation, which organises the event, notified independent media, including Telex, that only a limited number of journalists would be admitted. Notably, major international news agencies such as AP, AFP, Reuters, Bloomberg, and Xinhua were also refused registration.
Although the organisers cited limited space as the reason for these restrictions, the venue, Várkert Bazár, is known to accommodate large gatherings. In 2023, outlets like Telex were allowed to take their own photos at the event, suggesting that space constraints had been previously managed. This year, however, affected media have been told they must rely on photos provided by MTI, the state-run news agency, hinting that only selected outlets received access.
This incident is part of a troubling pattern regarding the freedom of the press at the Prime Minister's public appearances. Independent newspapers have been systematically barred from covering government press briefings, known as "Kormányinfó", and Fidesz politicians, including those in state positions, have refused to communicate with independent media.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán sues multiple media outlets
In early May 2024, several Hungarian media outlets were informed that they were being sued by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The lawsuits followed reports based on an article published in Lebensmittel Zeitung on 15th March 2024. The article quoted the CEO of SPAR, an Austrian-owned grocery chain, suggesting that the company was restructuring its operations and relocating assets to Switzerland in response to alleged pressure from Orbán’s allies attempting to seize control. Orbán dismissed these claims as false.
The Prime Minister lost lawsuits against rtl.hu, Magyar Narancs, Pécsi Stop, 24.hu, as well as those against Index.hu and Economx, outlets with ties to businessman Lőrinc Mészáros. While he initially won a case against Klubrádió in a lower court, the station announced plans to appeal. Orbán dropped his lawsuit against 444.hu, agreeing to cover the outlet's legal expenses.
Government Concealed Russian Cyber Attacks
On 16 May 2024, the news portal 444.hu published evidence showing that the Orbán government had known about large-scale Russian cyber attacks on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as early as September 2021. An earlier investigation by Direct36, released on 29th March 2022, confirmed the attacks had taken place and criticised the government’s ineffective response. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and several ruling party politicians initially dismissed the report, labelling it as “campaign lies.”
During a 13th May 2024 exchange between 444.hu and Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, the minister questioned the legality of the documents the outlet had obtained. Journalists noted that the government's narrative had shifted over two years—from dismissing the cyber attacks as false allegations to now framing public disclosure of the information as a threat to national interests.
Freedom of association
Sovereignty Protection Act targets NGOs
On 12th December 2023, the Hungarian parliament adopted the so-called “Protection of Sovereignty Act”, a piece of legislation that raised significant concerns about its implications for civil liberties and the activities of NGOs. The law, which came into force on 22nd December 2023, entrusted a new office, the Office for the Protection of Sovereignty, with the task of safeguarding national sovereignty by monitoring the activities of various entities, including NGOs, and potentially intervening to prevent perceived threats to Hungarian sovereignty. However, the vague and broad language of the law has led to fears of government overreach and selective targeting of organisations critical of the ruling regime.
Although there are currently no active investigations against prominent NGOs, the climate of uncertainty has led to a degree of caution among smaller organisations, many of which fear repercussions for their advocacy and activism. While the Sovereignty Protection Office lacks direct enforcement powers, it can request cooperation from state institutions such as the secret service, police, or tax authorities.
On 18th March 2024, the Venice Commission, an advisory body of independent constitutional lawyers within the Council of Europe, issued a critical opinion on the law. Among other criticisms, the opinion warns that “the Sovereignty Protection Office is provided extremely broad – and vaguely defined – competences. It can interfere with the privacy of any legal or natural entity and engage in naming and shaming of this entity without being subject to any control and without any review mechanism. Moreover, the Act does not provide sufficient guarantees of the Office’s independence, which risks leading to arbitrary and politically motivated application of the law. There is thus a high risk that the establishment and activities of the Office will have a chilling effect on the free and democratic debate in Hungary.”
Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International Hungary, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union for Europe, and Transparency International Hungary have echoed these concerns. Experts are of the opinion that the regulations establishing the Office and its competences violate international standards and could infringe on human rights, including the right to privacy, freedom of expression and freedom of association.
Harassment against the Hungarian Evangelical Fellowship continues
The Hungarian Evangelical Fellowship (MET), a small church led by Priest Gábor Iványi that serves society’s most vulnerable groups, continues to face harassment from authorities despite winning a case at the European Court of Human Rights and being awarded compensation. As previously reported by the CIVICUS Monitor, the church is facing a financial crisis after the Hungarian government abruptly cut funding to the church's social and educational institutions, citing unpaid social security contributions totalling 1.5 billion forints (approximately EUR 3.9 million). For its part, the MET claims that the government retroactively owes it subsidies dating back more than a decade, as the church lost its official status and state support following the implementation of a new church law in 2012, which has been widely criticised as politically motivated. The decision to strip the MET of its status was deemed a violation of human rights by both the Hungarian Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights.
In the newest chapter of the story, the Budapest Investigative Prosecutor’s Office accused Iványi of taking part in “group violence against an official”, as reported by Népszava. Iványi was summoned as a suspect on 28th March 2024 over an incident that took place in February 2022. During a tax raid at the headquarters of the Oltalom Charity Association, which Iványi leads, he attempted to enter the building with journalists but was blocked by officials. A confrontation ensued when he stood in the doorway. Iványi, who faces 5 to 10 years in prison if convicted, denies the charges and has declined to testify. His supporters gathered outside the prosecutor’s office, displaying a banner reading, “Will there be crucifixion tomorrow?”. This incident is part of a long-standing dispute between Iványi and the Hungarian state.