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Conflicting views on the arrest warrant for President Putin

Tuesday, March 21st, 2023

Radical pro-government commentators dismiss the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for Vladimir Putin as a useless exercise, while a leftist columnist welcomes it as at least a moral gesture. READ MORE

Béla Biszku receives suspended sentence

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2015

A pro-government commentator finds the light sentence handed down to a former high-ranking Communist leader outrageous, and accuses the court of falsifying history and encouraging delinquency. READ MORE

Right-wing comments on Béla Biszku’s sentence

Friday, May 16th, 2014

According to a pro-government daily, the Hungarian left is soft on Béla Biszku, and asks for a symbolic sentence, but did not protest when the Wiesenthal Center accused Hungary of not being tough enough on Sándor Képíró, who stood trial for War crimes in 1942, and was acquitted. Another pro-government daily says Biszku cannot be forgiven for he never admitted his guilt. READ MORE

Biszku sentenced for war crimes

Thursday, May 15th, 2014

Left and liberal papers question the wisdom of the prison sentence handed down to Béla Biszku, a former high ranking communist, for war crimes committed after the 1956 revolution. They echo the arguments of the defence that the trial was politically motivated. READ MORE

Béla Biszku indicted for war crimes

Saturday, October 19th, 2013

A pro-government editorial says Biszku should have been charged earlier – now, even if the 92 year old is sentenced, the desire of Hungarians for justice cannot be satisfied. READ MORE

Doubts about retaliation in Syria

Friday, August 30th, 2013

Commentators have little doubt about the imminence of punitive strikes against the Assad regime, but are highly sceptical both about their moral grounds and their expected impact. READ MORE

Historic Hungarian-Serbian reconciliation

Monday, July 1st, 2013
Hungarian analysts appreciate the efforts made by Serbia’s leaders to relegate nationalist hatreds to the past, as the two presidents paid joint tribute to the victims of World War II massacres. READ MORE

Béla Biszku under investigation for war crimes in December 1956

Thursday, September 13th, 2012

Right-wing pundits believe that the criminal inquiry into the suspected war crimes of the former Communist politician is an important symbolic act which could serve historical reconciliation. Liberal columnists, however, worry that the government wants to use Biszku’s case against the opposition parties. READ MORE

War crime suspect under house arrest

Friday, July 20th, 2012

Far right and left wing observers seem to agree that the prosecutor has put a suspected war criminal under house arrest as a result of international pressure. The former contend that Mr Csatáry’s rights have been infringed, while the latter blame the authorities for not acting sooner. READ MORE

Crime and punishment

Monday, July 25th, 2011

Ex gendarmerie captain Sándor Képíró, 97, was acquitted of the charge of responsibility for the execution of more than 30 Jews and Serbs in Serbia in 1942. Left and right-wing commentators compare this case to earlier trials involving those accused of crimes during the Communist period, and appear to agree that it is almost impossible to administer genuine justice. READ MORE