Country
Hungary
Government actions against journalists in Hungary
RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180. World Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders (RSF); rank 1 is the freest.
The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.
Hungary is in Eastern Europe, Europe. The record holds 8 incidents in which the government of Hungary, or an official, court or legislature there, limited journalists' ability to report.
Tactics used
- Funding and ownership pressure: 4 incidents · ladder
- Licensing and closure of outlets: 2 incidents · ladder
- Access bans: 1 incident · ladder
- Official labels: 1 incident · ladder
- Insult and defamation laws: 1 incident · ladder
- Surveillance and subpoenas: 1 incident · ladder
Heads of government at the time
Incidents by year
2026
| Date | Incident | Tactic | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 March 2026 | Hungary: a ruling-party mayor forcibly removes Telex reporters from a campaign event | Access bans | Punish | Viktor Orban | Ongoing (10 March 2026) |
2023
| Date | Incident | Tactic | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 December 2023 | Hungary: National Sovereignty Protection Act and Sovereignty Protection Office, December 2023 | Official labels | Pressure | Viktor Orban | Reversed (30 June 2026) |
2021
| Date | Incident | Tactic | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2021 | Hungary: investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi's phone is infected with Pegasus spyware | Surveillance and subpoenas | Punish | Viktor Orban | Ongoing (1 July 2021) |
| 14 February 2021 | Hungary: Klubradio loses its terrestrial broadcast license over its tender application | Licensing and closure of outlets | Silence | Viktor Orban | Upheld by a court (1 September 2021) |
2020
| Date | Incident | Tactic | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 July 2020 | Hungary: editor fired and staff resign at Index.hu | Funding and ownership pressure | Pressure | Viktor Orban | Sustained (24 July 2020) |
| 30 March 2020 | Hungary criminalizes false coronavirus information and grants Orban decree powers | Insult and defamation laws | Punish | Viktor Orban | Unknown |
2018
| Date | Incident | Tactic | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 November 2018 | Hungary: formation of the KESMA pro-government media foundation | Funding and ownership pressure | Silence | Viktor Orban | Sustained (29 November 2018) |
2010
| Date | Incident | Tactic | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 December 2010 | Hungary's parliament gives a government-appointed media council power to fine outlets for unbalanced coverage | Funding and ownership pressure | Pressure | Viktor Orban | Sustained (1 January 2011) |
Ladders: where each tactic has led · Timeline for Hungary · Europe