Party leader Gyula Molnár said the suspension of the paper was the latest step on a path on which Hungary cannot go down. “Today it’s Népszabadság, tomorrow the rest of the newspapers, afterward the political parties and then the end of this country,” he said.

A larger demonstration organised by the Facebook group for freedom of the press was later held by people to express solidarity with Népszabadság on the square in front of Parliament late on Saturday.

The demonstrators, who included a number of the newspaper’s staff, other journalists and opposition politicians, filled the centre of Kossuth Square. Many chanted “Népszabadság”, “Democracy”, “We will not allow it”, “Orbán must go” and “Free country, free media”.

Népszabadság journalist Miklós Hargitai told the demonstrators that staff scheduled to work on Saturday had not been allowed into their offices.

“That shows exactly how much of a business decision this was,” he added. Hargitai said Népszabadság’s staff had not received a pay rise since 2008, though their salaries had been cut twice since 2010.

It is the job of a newspaper to keep power in check, he said. “That’s why there won’t be a Népszabadság from Monday, because the paper did its job too well,” he added.

EP President Martin Schulz reacted to developments around the paper in a twitter message saying that the “sudden closure of Népszabadság sets a worrying precedent. I stand in solidarity with Hungarians protesting today”.

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

MTI photo: Balogh Zoltán