One of Hungary’s last independent radio stations ordered off the air
Klubrádió, which frequently featured voices from Hungary’s opposition, had appealed to the court docket after its license was revoked last yr by the nation’s Media Council for allegedly violating guidelines on promoting amongst different issues.
Members of the Media Council are elected by the Hungarian National Assembly, during which Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz get together has a majority.
In response to Judge Regina Antal’s ruling on Tuesday, the Media Council stated in a web-based assertion, “The verdict stated that since Klubrádió had not appealed against its repeated violations, which caused the legal exclusion, they had become final, so that there was no choice but to refuse to renew them.”
Mihaly Hardy, News Director of Klubrádió stated, “There is a huge propaganda balloon built up by the government and Klubrádió was a little hole, a little piece of truth where the air could escape, so they had to close this little hole in the balloon and so they can construct their own propaganda world which does not reflect the realities of Hungary.”
Klubrádió’s license will expire on February 14. It will nonetheless be capable to broadcast through the web. The station can request an enchantment in opposition to the ruling in a counter enchantment, Judge Regina Antal stated.
Dunja Mitajovic, the Human Rights Commissioner for the Council of Europe, tweeted that the ruling meant “another silenced voice in Hungary” and “another sad day for #MediaFreedom.”
The International Press Institute has additionally condemned the ruling. Director Scott Griffen stated the verdict “will force Hungary’s last major independent radio broadcaster off the air. It is devastating to what remains of media pluralism in Hungary and will have far reaching implications inside and outside the country’s borders.
“Make no mistake, that is the consequence of a deliberate, decade-long effort by political forces in Hungary to eradicate Klubrádió from the airwaves. The court docket has merely delivered the remaining blow,” he said.
“Over the last few years, the Fidesz-controlled Media Council and the authorities have one after the other blocked off each remaining avenue for Klubrádió to stay on air when its renewal was rejected for politically motivated selections. The end result was that, when the time lastly got here for Klubrádió’s license to be renewed, its destiny was all however sealed.”
