The decision by Hungary’s minister of justice to order an investigation into Szabolcs Panyi, a prominent Hungarian journalist, on dubious accusations of espionage, marks a dangerous escalation in the state’s crackdown on independent media.
The government accuses Panyi, who writes for Direkt36 and VSquare, of spying “in cooperation with a foreign state,”suggesting his journalism serves as a “cover ...
The investigation into Szabolcs Panyi highlights the escalating crackdown on independent media in Hungary. The accusations of espionage, while unproven, could serve as a pretext for silencing critical voices and undermining the principle of free press. The targeting of journalists with Pegasus spyware, a tool typically used by governments, further underscores this threat.
This case also reflects a broader pattern of media control in Hungary, where the government has steadily consolidated its inf...