06.07.2021 – 08:15
Reporters Without Borders has labeled Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban a predator of press freedom.
It is the first time that the head of a European Union government appears on this list, along with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, and others.
In addition to Orban, the list also includes other leaders such as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman and Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam.
According to such an organization, heads of state embody in a particularly drastic way the ruthless suppression of press freedom. Reporters Without Borders says Orban used to target the media with tools such as political-economic fraud, discredit and self-censorship.
Their printing methods are different, but serve the same purpose, to prevent critical reporting at all costs. The Hungarian regional press has been fully owned by entrepreneurs who are friends with Orban since the summer of 2017.
In the Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders this year, Hungary is ranked 92nd out of 180 countries.
