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The applicant in this case, Ms Judit Szima, was the chairperson of the Tettrekész Police Trade Union. She published a number of writings on the Trade Union’s website, which was effectively under her editorial control. In some of these writings she sharply criticized the police management, also referring to outstanding remunerations due to police staff, alleged nepotism and undue political influence in the force, as well as dubious qualifications of senior police staff. In 2010 Szima was convicted for instigation to insubordination. The Military Bench of the Budapest Court of Appeal confirmed her...

Thus far, the Hungarian Parliament has been compelled on four occasions to substantially amend the new media laws, which had been adopted in three stages in 2010. The amendments responded to some aspects of criticisms leveled at the existing regulations, but at the same time they failed to remedy a substantial portion of international and domestic objections regarding the disproportionate curtailment of the freedom of the press. The most comprehensive package of amendments was adopted during the summer of 2012, after the media laws had been examined by the Constitutional Court in December 2011...

On 16 February 2012, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the recent political developments in Hungary. The resolution indicates as main topics of concern the independence of the judiciary and the political implications of a number of provisions in the underlying laws to the Hungarian Constitution, adopted in April 2011. Also, the freedom and pluralism of the media and the quality of democracy in general in Hungary are mentioned as areas of concern (for more information on the Hungarian situation see IRIS 2012-2/25, IRIS 2011-5/100, IRIS 2011-5/2, IRIS 2011-4/7, IRIS 2011-4/2, IRIS 2011-3/24,...

On 1 January 2012 an amendment to Act II. of 2004 on Motion Pictures came into force significantly changing the institutional and funding system of the Hungarian film industry (see IRIS 2004-2/28). Under the new law the recently established Magyar Nemzeti Filmalap Közhasznú Nonprofit Zrt. (Hungarian National Film Fund - MNF) replaces the Magyar Mozgókép Közalapítvány (Motion Picture Public Foundation - MMKA), becoming the central body for the support of the Hungarian film industry. The MMKA was established jointly by the Government and organisations of the film industry; the MNF’s founder is the...

On 19 December 2011 the Constitutional Court delivered a decision on the new Hungarian media laws (Decision 1746/B/2010. AB). In its decision the Court annulled several provisions and established the need for further legislation. During 2010, as it is widely known, the Hungarian Parliament adopted a series of acts, thus it created a new legal and institutional framework of media regulation (see IRIS 2010-8/34). The most important elements of this legislation were: - Act CIV. of 2010 on Freedom of Expression and on the Basic Rules of Media Content (Media Constitution; see IRIS 2011-1/37); and -...