Incident
Hungary: a ruling-party mayor forcibly removes Telex reporters from a campaign event
HungaryRSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180
- Access bans
- Stage Punish
- Ongoing
A mayor from Hungary's ruling Fidesz party physically removed two Telex journalists from a campaign forum in a community center, covering their camera lens and pushing them out after they declined to leave what he called a closed event.123
What happened
On March 10, 2026, Telex correspondent Judit Presinszky and camera operator Nora Siteri went to a campaign forum for the ruling Fidesz party in a community center in Csakbereny, central Hungary. Mayor Laszlo Vecsei, who was hosting the event, grabbed Siteri's camera to cover the lens and then pushed the journalists, grabbing one of them by the arm, before they were removed from the building. A member of a local civilian patrol group then prevented the pair from re-entering. Vecsei said he acted after the journalists refused to leave what he described as a closed, non-public campaign event, though Telex said it was covering a public function open to constituents. Telex said it had filed a criminal complaint over the removal. The Committee to Protect Journalists said the episode marked a new low for a Hungarian press corps that already faces years of exclusion from government events under Prime Minister Viktor Orban.123
Telex has filed a criminal complaint over the removal; no outcome of that complaint has been reported.123
What reason was given
Stated justificationMayor Vecsei said he removed the journalists "after they refused to leave what he described as a closed, non-public campaign event."123
What changed for reporting
Telex's reporters were prevented from covering the campaign forum in person and were physically blocked from returning to the building, and the outlet turned to a criminal complaint rather than continued on-site reporting.1
Timeline
2026
Who acted
| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
|---|---|---|
| Laszlo Vecsei | enforced | Mayor of Csakbereny, Hungary |
| Viktor Orban | other | Prime Minister of Hungary (through 2026) |
Outlets and journalists
| Name | Kind | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| Telex | outlet | affected |
| Judit Presinszky | journalist, Telex | affected |
| Nora Siteri | journalist, Telex | affected |
Sources
- Hungary mayor forcibly removes Telex reporters from ruling party campaign event
- Journalist groups condemn Hungary over reporters' removal from campaign event
- We filed a complaint after our colleagues were forcibly removed from the Deputy PM's campaign event
Claims and evidence
Each numbered claim quotes the source it rests on.
- Telex responded to the removal by filing a criminal complaint rather than continuing to report from the event.
said they have filed a criminal complaint
Hungary mayor forcibly removes Telex reporters from ruling party campaign event, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2026-03-16.Claim 495, checked 2026-09-22. - A CPJ representative described the removal of the two Telex journalists as a low point for press freedom in Hungary.
Telex's Judit Presinszky and Nora Siteri being forcibly removed while reporting on a public campaign event marks a new low
Hungary mayor forcibly removes Telex reporters from ruling party campaign event, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2026-03-16.Claim 557, checked 2026-09-22. - The mayor covered the camera lens and pushed the journalists, grabbing one by the arm, according to CPJ's account of the incident.
grabbed Siteri's camera to cover the lens
Hungary mayor forcibly removes Telex reporters from ruling party campaign event, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2026-03-16.Claim 558, checked 2026-09-22.