A Hungarian court has delivered an eight-year prison sentence to a German anti-fascist activist identified as Maja T. for her alleged participation in violent clashes during a far-right gathering in Budapest. The 25-year-old defendant was convicted on charges of attempted aggravated bodily harm and assault as part of a criminal organization during the February 2023 “Day of Honor” rally—one of Europe’s largest neo-Nazi events commemorating the failed 1945 Nazi breakout attempt during the Red Army’s siege.
The case has drawn international scrutiny following Maja T.’s extradition from Germany in December 2024, which Germany’s Constitutional Court previously deemed unlawful due to concerns about potential inhumane treatment in Hungarian custody. The verdict emerges amid growing tensions between Hungary’s right-wing government and left-wing activist groups.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s administration designated antifa (an umbrella term for anti-fascist activists) as a terrorist organization in 2023, following similar moves by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Supporters of Maja T. have raised serious concerns about detention conditions and the fairness of judicial proceedings in Hungary, with the defendant’s father reporting “solitary confinement” and “degrading conditions” during custody.
The conviction marks the second high-profile case involving foreign anti-fascist activists in Hungary, following the detention of Italian activist Ilaria Salis for over a year in connection with the same events. Salis was released to house arrest in May 2024 and subsequently gained legal immunity through election to the European Parliament, though Hungarian authorities continue to seek her return for trial with prosecutors requesting an 11-year sentence. Wednesday’s ruling remains subject to appeal.