A hungarian judge faces allegations of misconduct after temporarily banning a newspaper supplement critical of the Tisza Party, sparking a national debate over judicial independence and press freedom. The complaint, filed late December, centers on claims the judge is connected to a leaked database of individuals associated with the party, raising questions about potential bias in the case. The controversy arrives amid ongoing tensions within Hungary’s judicial system, including recent protests over government agreements with the National Judicial Council and concerns regarding data privacy .
A judge who banned the distribution of a special edition newspaper critical of a prominent political party has been accused of official misconduct, escalating a dispute over press freedom and judicial independence in Hungary. The complaint, filed December 29 by István Tényi, alleges bias on the part of the judge overseeing the case, citing a connection to a leaked list of individuals associated with the Tisza Party.
The judge, whose name has not been released, temporarily blocked the distribution of a Bors newspaper supplement that warned of potential tax increases under the Tisza Party’s proposals just before Christmas. The decision sparked immediate criticism from the newspaper’s publisher and even some within the ruling Fidesz party, who defied the ban by distributing the paper themselves. More details on the initial ruling can be found here.
Tényi’s complaint, submitted to the Metropolitan Investigative Prosecutor’s Office, centers on the judge’s name and address appearing on a list of individuals reportedly compiled by Tisza Party activists. He argues this connection disqualifies the judge from impartiality. He also pointed to a statement the judge made last year on the website of the Hungarian Judges Association regarding a four-party agreement with the government.
However, critics suggest the allegations are politically motivated. The four-party agreement, reached in 2024, drew criticism from hundreds of active judges who voiced their concerns on the Hungarian Judges Association website. The National Judicial Council later terminated the agreement, and judges held protests in February to defend their independence.
The controversy surrounding the leaked list raises concerns about doxing and the misuse of personal data. According to reports, the publication of names and addresses from the Tisza Party database could constitute criminal offenses, as the data was obtained and disseminated illegally.
The Metropolitan Court condemned the attacks against its judges in a statement December 19, asserting its commitment to impartiality. “We firmly reject any statements accusing our judges of bias based on lists of unknown origin and content,” the court said, adding that such actions “undermine public trust in the courts.”
The head of the National Judicial Council, Csaba Pecsenye, echoed this sentiment, stating in an interview with RTL that with approximately 2,690 judges in the country, it was “unimaginable” that they all favored the Tisza Party, despite claims made by Construction and Transport Minister János Lázár. Pecsenye added that whether a Tisza Party registration constitutes political activity is a matter for service tribunals to decide, and that no such proceedings are currently underway.
As previously reported by HVG, Hungarian law prohibits judges from engaging in political activities, but simply downloading an app does not violate any regulations. Judges are permitted to vote, participate in opposition primaries, and complete national consultations. A study published on Verfassungsblog and here by Tamás Matusik, former president of the National Judicial Council, reached a similar conclusion: “Why should these judges be held accountable? They did not engage in political activity; they simply downloaded a legally available app and registered as private individuals. Such behavior cannot be interpreted as unauthorized political activity.”
