Originally part of Nieman Report’s “Dear America” series of essays that appeared November 26, 2024, we published the Hungarian version of our founder and editor András Pethő’s article on Hungarian Press Freedom Day, 2025.

The prize was founded in memory of Hungarian journalist László Szente, who died in 2022, by his former colleagues, Katalin Rangos and Sándor Friderikusz.

(Magyar) Panyi Szabolcs és Pethő András kapta a rangos elismerést a hírszerzés ellentmondásos műveleteiről és egy titkosszolgálati razziáról szóló cikkükért.

Direkt36 uncovered another story about the operations of a state company that secretly financed several important projects of the Orbán government. Internal documents reveal in great detail how nearly 7 billion forints got stuck in the failed bank of György Matolcsy’s cousin.

Two years ago, a Portuguese businessman with good Hungarian government connections bought the Euronews TV channel. Direkt36, together with Le Monde and Expresso, found out that a large part of the money was provided by a Hungarian state capital fund and a long-standing player in the government propaganda machine. According to leaked internal documents, the investment also had political aims.

(Magyar) A nemrég elfogadott szuverenitásvédelmi törvényre hivatkozva indult propagandisztikus támadás az Átlátszó ellen épp a sajtószabadság ünnepéhez közeledve.

Although encouraging prostitution is a criminal offence In Hungary, the authorities say there is nothing wrong with openly advertising foreign sex work to Hungarian women. Direkt36 looked behind the sex work advertisements as part of an international investigative project.

The son of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has tried to hide his involvement in the planned Hungarian military mission in Chad in an almost comical way. The government was also secretive, but when they discovered that Direkt36 and the French newspaper Le Monde had obtained evidence of Gáspár Orbán’s involvement in the Chad military project, they were quick to make it public. Here is the story of the revelation.

The newly adopted “Sovereignty Protection” law does not expressly regulate the operation of media companies, it is, however, capable of severely restricting the freedom of the press. It is meant to directly undermine democratic debate in general, and should be entirely rejected.

Hungary launched a major military development program seven years ago. The prime minister has used it to strengthen his international relationships and also realised the usefulness of the military in domestic politics.