Lawyer Adrienn Laczo’s office in Budapest’s XII district is furnished in a simple yet elegant style. Dark gray walls adorned with paintings serve as the backdrop for her workspace. Notably, a glass trophy awarded by Mensa HungarIQa for highly gifted individuals sits prominently on her desk.

Despite being fairly new to the legal profession, Laczo has quickly risen to become one of the most celebrated legal figures in Hungary.

Her ascent to prominence was accelerated in late November when she posted on Facebook that after 24 years of service as a judge, she was compelled to resign due to the dismantling of judicial independence in Hungary.

Within her post, she asserted, “The independence of the judiciary in Hungary has been abolished.”

She is not alone in her stand; in late February, a remarkably rare event unfolded, with hundreds of judges, supporters, and relatives holding a protest outside Hungary’s Ministry of Justice in Budapest. This was an unprecedented occurrence, notable within Hungary and across Europe.

These judges marched to the Ministry to advocate for the preservation of judicial independence and to call for better wages – a demand driven by the fact that Hungarian judges are among the lowest-paid in Europe.

The decision to protest came with significant personal risk since it could impact one’s career and work prospects. Prominent government critic Zsolt Bayer had even called for a list of the demonstrators’ names, but despite this threat, many, including Laczo, still openly participated.

Laczo points out that the high attendance at the protest highlights the widespread dissatisfaction among Hungary’s 2,600 judges.

Laczo echoes that she, like many others, had fought an internal battle before choosing to speak publicly. Her concerns began when Viktor Orbán’s government introduced mandatory retirement for judges in 2012. She notes how the government succeeded in reshaping the judicial institutions to prioritize those who aligned with the government, disregarding expertise and experience.

The pressure on the courts increases every day, with political considerations influencing career advancement among judges.

A landmark media case from 2024 exemplifies how the government leverages a compliant judiciary, wherein a media outlet reported a claim about Viktor Orbán suggesting a relative’s stake in a local business subsidiary. This case has implications for press freedom, given the Curia’s ruling that media must verify claims, which could restrict journalism in Hungary.

International support for Hungary’s protesting judges is overwhelming, evidenced by Duro Sessa, the president of the International Association of Judges, addressing the rally. The lack of independence in the Hungarian judiciary has been a matter of concern for the EU, which has withhold funding from Hungary due to these issues.

For Laczo, the reality is straightforward; without an independent judiciary, the rule of law does not exist, and Hungarian citizens lack a vital protective mechanism. Despite her satisfaction with her law career, she acknowledges her deep regret at not being able to continue her dream job as a judge.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/judges-in-hungary-fight-for-an-independent-judiciary/a-72020372?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf