Maja T.'s Plight Continues: Hungarian Court Rejects House Arrest Request, Hunger Strike Persists
House arrest plea of Maja T. in Hungary turned down
The prolonged detention of non-binary activist Maja T., held in Budapest, continues despite calls for her transfer to house arrest. The court's decision is based on potential prison sentences of up to 24 years.
Background InsightsMaja T., aged 22-24, is a German antifascist activist accused by Hungarian authorities of involvement in violent clashes against far-right neo-Nazi groups during a counter-protest to the "Day of Honour" march in Budapest in February 2023. After months on the run, Maja was arrested in Berlin in December 2023 and extradited to Hungary in June 2024, raising concerns about fair trial and inhumane detention conditions.
Upon extradition, Maja has been held in solitary confinement, partially due to their non-binary gender identity. Human rights groups and antifascist solidarity committees have condemned Hungary's treatment of Maja, demanding their release or transfer back to Germany for trial.
Inhumane ConditionsIn response to the verdict, Maja stated that there was "no objective reason" for further detention, and the conditions were "inhumane." Maja announced the continuation of a hunger strike that had begun 16 days ago.
Protesters ClashDozens of anti-fascist activists followed the trial from the gallery, while others demonstrated outside with chants of "Free Maja." Police separated this group from right-wing counter-protesters.
Political Show Trial?Martin Schirdewan, chairman of the parliamentary group The Left in the European Parliament, described the trial as a "political show trial." Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been accused of leading a witch hunt against anti-fascist persons. He called for diplomatic intervention by Berlin to return Maja to Germany.
Source: ntv.de, rog/dpa
- Hungary
- Trials
- The ongoing trial of Maja T., a German antifascist activist in Hungary, has been criticized as a "political show trial" by Martin Schirdewan, chair of The Left in the European Parliament, raising questions about the country's community and employment policies.
- As the crime-and-justice system in Hungary faces scrutiny, general-news outlets are closely following the plight of Maja T., a non-binary activist facing potential 24-year sentences, with human rights groups calling for changes in employment and community policies to protect political dissidents.
