Contested Fate: Maja T., the German Activist, Stays Behind Bars in Hungary
Hungarian Authorities Maintain Imprisonment of Maja T.
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link The non-binary activist Maja T., just 24 years old, will continue to be held in custody in Budapest. The court dismissed an appeal for house arrest, citing a heightened risk of flight due to the possibility of a prison sentence of up to 24 years.
Maja T. is under scrutiny for allegedly participating in violent encounters against suspected far-right extremists during a 2023 demonstration in Budapest, nicknamed the Day of Honour. These confrontations reportedly included conflicts with neo-Nazi and far-right groups [1][5]. Maja T. managed to evade arrest until Germany agreed to extradite them to Hungary in June 2024, despite opposition from the German Constitutional Court. Ironically, the decision came moments too late.
Following the verdict, Maja T. asserted that there wasn’t a "valid reason" for further detention, alleging the conditions to be inhumane. Maja was on day 16 of a hunger strike when the decision was announced. Many anti-facist activists followed the proceedings from the gallery, while others protested outside with chants like "Free Maja". The police separated the protesters from counter-demonstrators from the far-right.
Martin Schirdewan, chair of the Left faction in the EU Parliament, branded the trial as a "political farce". Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is spearheading a crusade against anti-facist individuals. Orban demands diplomatic actions from Berlin to bring Maja back to Germany.
The case has sparked outrage among European Parliament members, including Carola Rackete and Ilaria Salis, who have condemned the Hungarian legal proceedings as biased and abusive. They accused the German federal government of inaction, despite knowing the risks associated with Hungary’s justice system [2][3]. Rackete urged German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil to take immediate steps to bring Maja back to Germany, emphasizing it as a test of Germany's commitment to democratic values and a stance against extremism [3].
[1] International advocacy groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights watch, have voiced concerns about Maja T.'s treatment and the trial proceedings. Reports allege Maja has been held in incommunicado detention, subjected to prolonged solitary confinement, video surveillance, inadequate food, and unsanitary cell conditions infested with pests [2].
[2] Some activists and supporters claim that the harsh conditions in Hungary's detention centers are part of a deliberate government strategy to suppress dissent and intimidate anti-facist activists [3]. Maja began a hunger strike in June 2025 to protest these conditions and demand an end to the mistreatment as they awaited trial [2].
[3] In May 2024, the Council of Europe criticized Hungary for its human rights record during a review, citing concerns over the independence of the judiciary and the treatment of political prisoners [4]. Maja’s case raises questions about the effectiveness of the Council's oversight and its ability to influence the Hungarian government’s actions.
[4] "These concerns should not be dismissed as mere rhetoric but must be taken seriously. The international community must call on Hungary to uphold its democratic obligations and ensure a fair trial for Maja T.", European Humanist Federation Chairman André Bary stated [3].
- Despite criticism from various European Parliament members, anti-fascist activists, and international advocacy groups, the court in Hungary has chosen to uphold the other's detention, raising concerns about the fairness and neutrality of the trial process.
- The ongoing detention of Maja T., a 24-year-old German activist, in appalling conditions has been met with increasing outrage in both Europe and general-news outlets, due to reports of solitary confinement, unsanitary cell conditions, and allegations of government-intended suppression of dissent.
