The Hungarian opposition and its affiliated media are often characterized by their refusal to accept the consequences of their actions. When held accountable, their response is typically one of surprise, accusations of dictatorship, and self-pity. This pattern has repeated itself recently.
Earlier in December, the critical-of-the-government outlet Magyar Hang published a fake news report alleging, without evidence, that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had fled to Hungary following his fall from power. In response, the competent authorities launched a national security investigation against the news website.
‘The fake news published in the Hungarian press has the potential to endanger Hungary’s security,’ the Hungarian Constitution Protection Office stated earlier in December. The spreading of such falsehoods is particularly dangerous given Assad’s adversarial relationship with terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State and al-Qaeda. Speculation about his alleged presence in Hungary not only threatens the country’s security but could also cost lives.
The Constitution Protection Office initiated an investigation, which included requesting information from the staff of Magyar Hang and conducting lie detector tests. ‘To the best of our knowledge, there has never been a similar case against journalists in the history of Hungarian democracy,’ the editorial team wrote in an indignant and inflammatory statement.
However, to the best of our knowledge, no journalist has ever disseminated fake news capable of making Hungary a target for terrorist organizations. Unprecedented cases necessitate unprecedented solutions.
‘We believe that there are still people in public service who work for their country, and that the details of the investigation—which also touched on private matters—will not be manipulated, distorted, or leaked to the government propaganda press,’ the statement from Magyar Hang continued. Rather than taking responsibility for its actions, the outlet immediately attacked the government and the pro-government media.
‘Rather than taking responsibility for its actions, the outlet immediately attacked the government’
The statement then descends into a narrative apparently intended to incite public opinion against the government. ‘The season of Advent is all about love and reconciliation, but the Hungarian government is using it to discredit an independent newspaper and to harass and intimidate its journalists,’ the statement reads.
While Magyar Hang claims that ‘independent journalism does not pose a national security risk,’ a statement many would agree with in principle, the outlet itself cannot be considered independent, nor can the article in question be regarded as a journalistic achievement.
‘We ask our readers, our journalist colleagues, and citizens concerned about Hungarian democracy and the rule of law to stand with us in these strange times,’ the statement concludes.
A significant aspect of the case is that the fake news was shared by Péter Magyar, leader of the largest opposition party, the Tisza Party. Magyar used the fabricated story to make several unsubstantiated accusations against the Hungarian government.
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