June 16, 2014

Free speech threatened in Hungary

located:	Hungary
editor:	FairPlanet Editorial Team

A media clampdown in Hungary has seen a Constitutional Court rule that website operators are now responsible for any comments to blog posts or articles which may violate media law.

This decision could result in bloggers and other website operators shutting down comments or censoring comments on their sites, for fear of being in breach of the law. This is a clear attack on free speech and internet freedom.

Earlier this month the Hungarian Supreme Court ruled that critical television station ATV had broken a 2010 law against commentary in the press when they described political party Jobbik as "far-right".

According to EU Observer, the court's decision was based on the fact that Jobbik does not call itself a far-right party, so referring to it in that way expresses an opinion.

Considering Jobbik's anti-Roma and anti-Semitic policies, here at fairplanet we think "far-right" sounds like quite a precise description of the party.

At the same time, protestors have been out in force against the sacking of online news site Origo's editor, which occured after the website published a story which alleged that the state secretary of the Prime Minister's office had misused funds.

Another 30 journalists have since resigned from the site in protest.