Hungary seeks penalties towards three Ukrainians, accused of murdering a Hungarian national.
In a significant development, Hungary has formally proposed that the European Union impose sanctions on three senior Ukrainian military officials over alleged human rights abuses during conscription operations within Ukraine's Ministry of Defense and armed forces. This move comes in the wake of the reported violent death of an ethnic Hungarian man, Jozsef S. (József Sebestyén), in Ukraine's Transcarpathia region in early July 2025.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced the proposal, stating that these officials are being held accountable for alleged abuses linked to forced conscription practices, which reportedly included beatings and torture of those refusing enlistment. Hungary invoked the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime to target the officials involved in the reported human rights violations.
The specific names of the three Ukrainian officials have not been publicly disclosed, but they are identified as senior military officials overseeing conscription in Ukraine's Ministry of Defense and armed forces. Szijjártó did not specify the names of these individuals.
However, Szijjártó was firm in his condemnation, stating that a "real manhunt" is taking place on the streets of Ukraine. He expressed shock at how European political leaders are turning a blind eye to the situation in Ukraine. Szijjártó also criticized the mobilization in Ukraine and expressed shock at how Ukrainian military commissars treat people.
The Ukrainian side disputes the Hungarian claim, stating that the deceased was a Ukrainian citizen. However, the proposed sanctions are in connection with the alleged violent death of a Hungarian citizen, believed to be due to the actions of the Transcarpathian Territorial Defense Forces.
Last week, Hungary summoned the Ukrainian ambassador in Budapest over the matter. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and other Hungarian officials have also condemned the incident and expressed condolences to the victim's family.
This incident has strained Ukrainian-Hungarian relations, with the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry accusing Hungary of manipulating the situation for political purposes. The actions proposed by Hungary, if implemented, could further damage these relations.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/hungary-summons-ukrainian-ambassador-over-alleged-death-hungarian-citizen-2021-07-07/ [2] https://www.euronews.com/2021/07/07/hungary-summons-ukrainian-ambassador-over-alleged-death-of-hungarian-citizen-in-ukraine [5] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57727345
[1] The Hungarian foreign minister's proposal of sanctions on three senior Ukrainian military officials over alleged human rights abuses in war-and-conflicts zones extends to the realm of politics and policy-and-legislation.[2] General-news outlets have reported on the condemnation by Hungarian officials, including Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, following the violent death of Jozsef S., a Hungarian citizen, in Ukraine's Transcarpathia region.[3] The proposed sanctions against the Ukrainian officials for their role in alleged crimes-and-justice violations have further strained the relations between Ukrainian and Hungarian governments, leading to diplomatic disputes and potential future ramifications in the politics and policy-and-legislation arenas.
