Orbán marches in Paris, yet blocks freedom of speech at home

Viktor Orbán is desperately trying to make his countrymen believe that he is a respected politician in the European Union. His participation in the Paris march might have provided a great photo opportunity, but his dismal record in stifling free speech at home has not changed.

Reporters Without Borders (RWB) is a France-based international organization that defends freedom of speech. They issued a statement, noting that more than 50 leaders from around the world took part in a massive march in Paris in a show of unity against extremism and to honor the victims of the Charlie Hebdo massacre – seen as an attack on free speech and freedom of the press. Yet many of the heads of state, prime ministers and high-ranking ministers present represent countries that themselves have highly questionable records when it comes to free speech, from the suppression of demonstrations to the imprisonment of journalists.

Mr. Orbán in Paris

Mr. Orbán in Paris

“We have to show solidarity with ‘Charlie’ but without forgetting all the ‘Charlies’ around the world,” said Christophe Deloire, RWB’s secretary general. “It would be intolerable if representatives of states that silence journalists in their countries take advantage of the day’s emotion in order to improve their international image.”

RWB is making the point that representatives of Algeria, Russia, Turkey, Egypt, Gabon and Hungary marched in Paris yet these countries are oppressing free speech. Hungary ranks low on the annual Press Freedom Index (PFI), which places Finland at the top and North Korea at the bottom.

In June last year Hungary imposed a tax on media advertising revenue, generating more than 65 million euros a year for the government. The tax has hit main independent TV channel RTL Klub particularly hard, while TV2, a channel regarded as close to Orban’s Fidesz party, has been granted special dispensation from the new tax. In October, meanwhile, Hungarian citizens took to the streets to oppose a new tax on Internet usage.

Sooner or later Mr. Orbán and his supporters have to accept the fact that the Hungarian Prime Minister became an international pariah; he was not a welcome guest at the Paris event.

György Lázár

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