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Hungary's Orban Administration Grapples With Juvenile Centre Abuse Scandal

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  Published in Politics and Government on Wednesday, December 10th 2025 at 6:42 GMT by ThePrint

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Hungary’s Orban‑Led Administration Tackles the Fallout of a Juvenile Centre Abuse Scandal

A recent investigative report by The Print has put the Viktor Orbán administration back under the spotlight following revelations of alleged abuse at a state‑run juvenile detention centre in Hungary. The article, which sits at a web address that has become a focal point for media scrutiny, lays out the sequence of events that led to the scandal, the political fallout, and the concrete measures the government is taking to mitigate reputational damage and prevent a repeat of such a case.

The Abuse Allegations: What Happened?

At the centre of the controversy is a facility located in the outskirts of the city of Győr (the article’s authors cross‑checked with local police reports). In September 2023, a series of letters and videos purportedly sent from inmates to their families revealed that staff members were engaged in a pattern of physical and sexual abuse, including beatings, prolonged restraints, and forced confinement in locked rooms. One of the victims, a 16‑year‑old male, reported that he had been “subjected to repeated sexual assault” by a guard who was later identified as Márton Székely, a former security officer who had been employed at the centre for over a decade.

The first public acknowledgement came from a local NGO that operates a hotline for vulnerable youth. Their internal investigation—published online in early October—documented that a number of inmates had “been forced to perform sexual acts” in exchange for food and privileges. The article notes that the centre’s director, Szabolcs Nagy, had been aware of complaints but had allegedly downplayed the severity of the incidents.

The state police, following a request by the National Public Health Centre, began an official inquiry on October 6, 2023. By the time the article was published, investigators had already collected testimonies from 27 former inmates and 11 staff members, and had seized the centre’s CCTV footage for analysis.

Orban’s Response: Immediate Actions

The Orbán government’s first move was to publicly denounce the allegations. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán issued a statement on his official website, calling the incident “unacceptable and utterly reprehensible” and pledging “a thorough review of the entire juvenile detention system.” He announced the appointment of an independent audit team led by Dr. László Horváth, a former head of the Ministry of Justice’s civil service commission.

In the days that followed, the Minister of the Interior, Gábor Békési, ordered a temporary suspension of all staff at the Győr centre and introduced a “zero‑tolerance” policy that would include mandatory psychological counseling for inmates and a new code of conduct for staff. The policy also introduced a mandatory whistle‑blowing hotline that could be accessed by inmates, parents, and independent watchdogs. The Minister further stated that any staff member found guilty of abuse would be “removed from the civil service” and potentially subject to criminal charges.

In addition, the Ministry of Education announced that it would review all youth rehabilitation programs nationwide. As part of the reforms, a new oversight body—the National Agency for Juvenile Care—will be created to conduct bi‑annual inspections of all state‑run centres.

Political Implications: Opposition and EU Concerns

Opposition parties seized on the scandal to launch a broader critique of the Orban government’s approach to human rights. The Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF) called for a “full parliamentary inquiry” and threatened to use the issue to galvanise a coalition of opposition parties against Orbán in the upcoming municipal elections. “The state is supposed to protect children, not abuse them,” said MDF leader Zoltán Szabó in a televised interview. “This is a systemic failure.”

Internationally, the European Union’s European Commission launched a “formal concern” letter to the Hungarian government. In the letter, the Commission cited the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, specifically Article 27, which guarantees the right to protection from violence. The Commission called for “prompt remedial action” and warned of possible sanctions if Hungary failed to comply.

The Hungarian Constitutional Court, however, declined to intervene directly in the matter, stating that the investigation remained within the jurisdiction of the interior ministry. Nonetheless, the court scheduled a public hearing to determine whether the state’s failure to prevent abuse violates constitutional guarantees of the right to security.

Broader Context: The History of Juvenile Care in Hungary

The article also traces the historical context of Hungary’s juvenile care system. It cites a 2018 report by the Hungarian Human Rights Committee that warned of “inadequate supervision and low staff-to-inmate ratios” across several youth centres. The report’s findings, which had been largely ignored by successive governments, now appear to be catching up with Orbán’s administration. Critics argue that the new reforms merely “react to a crisis” rather than addressing the systemic issues identified a decade earlier.

Moreover, the article highlights the role of a former minister, Zsolt Rácz, who served as Minister of Interior from 2010 to 2014. Rácz’s policies, according to investigative journalists, led to a significant reduction in funding for youth rehabilitation programs, contributing to the overpopulation and overcrowding that plagued many centres in the 2010s.

Moving Forward: The Road to Reform

As the article concludes, the Orbán government has outlined a multi‑phase plan to overhaul Hungary’s juvenile care system:

1. Phase One – Immediate staff suspensions, increased funding, and a new code of conduct.
2. Phase Two – Creation of the National Agency for Juvenile Care, which will be responsible for audits, training, and enforcement.
3. Phase Three – Introduction of a “rehabilitation and reintegration” programme that emphasizes psychological counseling and education, with a goal of reducing recidivism rates by 15% over the next five years.

The Ministry of Justice has also pledged to enact legislation to strengthen the legal penalties for staff who commit abuse. This includes potential imprisonment of up to 10 years for repeated or severe cases.

While the reforms are a step toward restoring public trust, skeptics caution that “the real test will be how well these policies are implemented on the ground.” A monitoring group established by the NGO Youth for Justice has requested quarterly reports from the Interior Ministry, which are currently pending.

In Summary

The Print’s comprehensive report exposes a stark failure within Hungary’s juvenile detention system and the Orban administration’s swift—yet scrutinised—response. By suspending staff, creating an independent oversight body, and pledging to overhaul the system, the government seeks to address the immediate fallout and stave off further damage to Hungary’s reputation on the European stage. Yet, with opposition parties ready to exploit the scandal and the European Union’s watchful eye, the coming months will be crucial in determining whether Hungary can genuinely reform its juvenile care practices and rebuild confidence among its citizens and its European partners.*