More international journalist groups condemn violent removal of Telex journalists from campaign event

The International Press Institute (IPI) has called on the Hungarian government, law enforcement agencies, and political parties not to obstruct the work of Hungarian journalists at public campaign events. This came after the mayor of Csákberény, László Vécsei, used physical force on March 10 to push two of our colleagues, Nóra Siteri and Judit Presinszky out of a press conference and campaign event attended by Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén. Five days after this, a security guard pushed the reporting team of HVG to the side of the road during the pro-Fidesz Peace March.

“Journalists have the right to report on political events freely and without harassment, and any violation of this right may undermine the democratic process itself,” Amy Brouillette stated in relation to the two incidents. The IPI’s advocacy director said that the organization “is strongly urging authorities and political parties to respect press freedom” and also assured all independent journalists in Hungary of their support.

The IPI noted that in Hungary, representatives of the independent press and those critical of the government are routinely barred from government events and PM Viktor Orbán’s press conferences; although it is rare for journalists to be physically removed or threatened. Since 2021, the organization has recorded 34 cases in which journalists in Hungary were barred from events or prevented from doing their work.

On Monday, the international journalists’ organization Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on the Hungarian authorities to immediately investigate the violent removal of Telex's reporters from the event and to ensure that journalists can report on election-related events without intimidation or violence. According to CPJ’s European representative, Attila Mong, the “violent removal of Telex journalists from a public campaign event marks a new low and raises serious concerns regarding the state of press freedom in Hungary.”

Thibaut Bruttin, director of Reporters Without Borders, told Reuters that the incident “is symptomatic of Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule, whose regime is now resorting to violence in order to survive. Bruttin noted that “one of the conditions for fair elections” is that journalists be granted adequate access to lawmakers and candidates.