The inmates turned to the court over regulations enacted by Hungary in 2015 in response to a previous European court ruling in their favour, arguing that the new law also failed to ensure a genuine prospect of release from prison in their lifetimes.

The court said too much time elapses before the first opportunity for a sentence review under current Hungarian law, far longer than the maximum of 25 years recommended by the court in a previous ruling.

Strict criteria for clemency decisions made by a committee do not apply to the president, who has the last word on every plea, the court said, adding that the president also has no deadline to make such decisions and no obligation to justify them either.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.