In October 2025, Géza Buzás-Hábel, a gay Roma teacher and long-time organiser of Pécs Pride in Hungary, became the first person in the EU known to face criminal charges for organising a Pride march, punishable by up to one year in prison. This follows Hungary’s April 2025 legal amendments explicitly criminalising LGBTQI+ themed assemblies, allowing fines, imprisonment, and surveillance using facial recognition. Despite a police ban upheld by the Supreme Court, the protest was organised, with thousands participating. Buzás-Hábel was notified to the authorities as the formal organiser and in late October became a suspect in a criminal investigation for providing the means to peaceful protest. His case highlights a dangerous escalation in Hungary’s repression of LGBTQI+ rights and civil society more broadly and serves as a test for the EU in defending human rights defenders and the freedoms of assembly and, expression. A joint briefing by Amnesty International Hungary, Háttér Society, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee details the case.
23 October 2025