Orban Uses Crisis Powers for Detentions Under ‘Fake News’ Law
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Hungarian authorities have started criminal probes against dozens of people for allegedly spreading fake news related to the pandemic, in a move that Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s opponents say is meant to silence them.
The government changed the criminal code to allow authorities to jail people for up to five years for “distorting” facts in a way that’s deemed to hamper the virus fight. The amendment accompanied legislation that gave Orban the right to rule by decree for an indefinite period, which has raised alarm about the future of Hungarian democracy.