The second-instance, legally binding ruling concerns two separate cases from 2013 which involved MPs of the green opposition LMP party and Dialogue for Hungary displaying banners critical of the government-initiated tobacco and land bills during sessions of parliament.

In May of 2013, PM’s Gergely Karácsony and Péter Szilágyi were handed fines for putting up a sign which read “(you) steal, deceive, lie!” to protest against tobacco concessions and government-initiated changes to the law on the freedom of information.

Later in the same month, Dávid Dorosz and Rebeka Szabó of PM were fined for holding another sign “National Tobacco Mafia”.

The following month, three LMP lawmakers had a third of their salaries docked at the initiative of the parliamentary speaker László Kövér for holding up a banner in protest against the passage of the land law.

The fines handed down by the National Assembly ranged from 50,000 forints to 185,000 forints (EUR 160-590). In Tuesday’s ruling the court ordered the state of Hungary to pay a total of 14,620 euros in compensation and legal fees to the petitioners.

Source: www.hungarymatters.hu
Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.