Hungary's Pardon Of Far-Right Terrorist Before Pope Francis' Visit Sparks Outrage
Hungary's President Katalin Novák has granted a pardon to far-right extremist György Budaházy, who was sentenced for terrorism-related crimes.
Hungary's pardon of far-right terrorist was granted just days before Pope Francis' visit to Hungary, sparking outrage among the country's citizens, as well as international condemnation.
Who Is György Budaházy?
György Budaházy is a Hungarian far-right extremist who was convicted of leading a terrorist organization that carried out numerous attacks in Hungary between 2006 and 2009.
These attacks targeted Roma communities, left-wing politicians, and other minority groups. The attacks included bombings, arson, and other acts of violence.
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Budaházy was also convicted of inciting hatred against Jews, Roma, and other minorities, as well as of illegally possessing weapons and explosives.
Controversial Pardon By Hungary's President
The decision by Hungary's President to grant a pardon to Budaházy has been widely criticized as an attempt to pander to Hungary's far-right extremist elements ahead of Pope Francis' visit to the country.
“„The week of the papal visit is a special occasion for the head of state to exercise her power of pardon.
- Hungary's President
“„Among others, the President of the Republic also pardoned those convicted in what was known as the Hunnia trial, for whom she decided to suspend their prison terms.
- Hungary's President
The timing of the pardon has led to speculation that it was politically motivated, with critics accusing Hungary's government of trying to appeal to far-right voters.
The pardon has also raised concerns about the rule of law in Hungary, with many questioning the message that the country is sending to its citizens and to the international community by pardoning a convicted terrorist.
Convicted terrorist pardoned in Hungary on eve of Pope’s visit
Response On Pardon
The decision to pardon Budaházy has been met with widespread condemnation from international human rights groups and political leaders. The European Union has called on Hungary to uphold the rule of law and to ensure that justice is served.
The United States has also expressed concern over the decision, with the State Department issuing a statement that called on Hungary to "uphold its democratic values and the rule of law."
On Saturday morning, thousands gathered in and around the St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church in central Budapest, where Francis met with refugees, many of whom were from Ukraine, and appealed to the value of compassion while hearing accounts from refugees.
Final Thoughts
The decision by Hungary's President to pardon György Budaházy, a convicted far-right extremist, just days before Pope Francis' visit to the country has sparked outrage and condemnation from both within Hungary and the international community.
The timing of the pardon has raised concerns about the motives behind the decision, with many questioning whether it was politically motivated.
The move has also highlighted concerns about the rule of law in Hungary and the message that the country is sending to its citizens and to the world.
About The Authors
Suleman Shah - Suleman Shah is a researcher and freelance writer. As a researcher, he has worked with MNS University of Agriculture, Multan (Pakistan) and Texas A & M University (USA). He regularly writes science articles and blogs for science news website immersse.com and open access publishers OA Publishing London and Scientific Times. He loves to keep himself updated on scientific developments and convert these developments into everyday language to update the readers about the developments in the scientific era. His primary research focus is Plant sciences, and he contributed to this field by publishing his research in scientific journals and presenting his work at many Conferences. Shah graduated from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (Pakistan) and started his professional carrier with Jaffer Agro Services and later with the Agriculture Department of the Government of Pakistan. His research interest compelled and attracted him to proceed with his carrier in Plant sciences research. So, he started his Ph.D. in Soil Science at MNS University of Agriculture Multan (Pakistan). Later, he started working as a visiting scholar with Texas A&M University (USA). Shah’s experience with big Open Excess publishers like Springers, Frontiers, MDPI, etc., testified to his belief in Open Access as a barrier-removing mechanism between researchers and the readers of their research. Shah believes that Open Access is revolutionizing the publication process and benefitting research in all fields.
