Update: 'Crazy Charges' Against Mayor Dropped Over Organisation of Budapest Pride
- 29 Jun 2026 2:14 PM
In light of the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union, the Prosecutor's Office of Budapest's 5th and 13th districts has dropped the charges against Budapest mayor Gergely Karácsony for violating the law on freedom of association and assembly, the Budapest Public Prosecutor's Office said on Thursday.
On Jan 28, the district prosecutor's office alleged that Karacsony had violated the law by organising the Budapest Pride march in June 2025. The indictment complied with the legal provisions in effect at the time, the office said.
The CJEU ruled in April that the child protection act that served as the basis for the ban was against EU law, fundamental freedoms and core values.
The Pecs District Prosecutor's Office also dropped charges against the organiser of the Pecs Pride rally held in October last year.
Court drops charges against Budapest mayor over Pride march
A Budapest court has dropped criminal charges against Gergely Karacsony, Budapest's mayor, for allegedly violating assembly laws by supporting last year's Pride march.
The Pest Central District Court terminated the case on June 17, citing a European Court of Justice ruling that Hungary's child protection law - used as the basis for the charges - violated EU law.
Karacsony announced the decision on Facebook, noting that the prosecutor's office had already dropped the case on June 4. The ruling can still be appealed.
Photo: Gergely Karácsony
Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent.
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