A German activist has been sentenced to eight years in a Hungarian prison for assaulting right-wing extremists and for being a member of an extreme left-wing group. The 25-year-old, identified only as Maja T., was found guilty of involvement in violent assaults by the group Antifa Ost in the lead-up to an annual commemoration of Nazi soldiers in Budapest.
Supporters have raised concerns over whether Maja T., who identifies as non-binary, could receive a fair trial in the Hungarian court, because the country legally recognizes only two genders and Pride marches are banned. Last year, Germany's Constitutional Court found Maja T. could face discriminatory treatment and said an extradition should not proceed.
But the ruling came too late to stop the handover, as police in Germany had already delivered Maja T. to Hungarian authorities by helicopter in an overnight operation in 2024. The 25-year-old did not comment on the allegations during the trial, and the verdict is subject to appeal.
In February 2023, far-right groups from across Europe gathered in Budapest to commemorate the anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The commemoration is tolerated by the Hungarian authorities. Between 9 and 11 February 2023, about 20 alleged left-wing extremists from Antifa Ost attacked people with batons, rubber hammers, and pepper spray in Budapest, injuring nine people, four of them seriously. Prosecutors said Maja T. was involved in two attacks and part of a criminal organization.
German MEP Martin Schirdewan from the socialist Die Linke party described the proceedings as a political show trial, stating that the sentence is disproportionate and aimed at setting a political example. Trials of other members of Antifa Ost are currently underway in German courts, focused on the violence in Budapest and other incidents in Germany. Hungary classifies Antifa Ost as a terrorist group, a designation also made by the US. The designation makes group members ineligible to enter the US, freezes any assets they may have there, and makes it a crime to provide material support to the group.
Supporters have raised concerns over whether Maja T., who identifies as non-binary, could receive a fair trial in the Hungarian court, because the country legally recognizes only two genders and Pride marches are banned. Last year, Germany's Constitutional Court found Maja T. could face discriminatory treatment and said an extradition should not proceed.
But the ruling came too late to stop the handover, as police in Germany had already delivered Maja T. to Hungarian authorities by helicopter in an overnight operation in 2024. The 25-year-old did not comment on the allegations during the trial, and the verdict is subject to appeal.
In February 2023, far-right groups from across Europe gathered in Budapest to commemorate the anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The commemoration is tolerated by the Hungarian authorities. Between 9 and 11 February 2023, about 20 alleged left-wing extremists from Antifa Ost attacked people with batons, rubber hammers, and pepper spray in Budapest, injuring nine people, four of them seriously. Prosecutors said Maja T. was involved in two attacks and part of a criminal organization.
German MEP Martin Schirdewan from the socialist Die Linke party described the proceedings as a political show trial, stating that the sentence is disproportionate and aimed at setting a political example. Trials of other members of Antifa Ost are currently underway in German courts, focused on the violence in Budapest and other incidents in Germany. Hungary classifies Antifa Ost as a terrorist group, a designation also made by the US. The designation makes group members ineligible to enter the US, freezes any assets they may have there, and makes it a crime to provide material support to the group.
