Hungarian Pastor Iványi Ready For Prison

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief, reporting from Budapest, Hungary

BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Hungarian Methodist pastor Gábor Iványi told a Budapest court he would rather “accept a prison sentence than admit guilt” in what he considers a politically motivated case ahead of Hungary’s parliamentary elections.

The 74-year-old church leader appeared at Monday’s pre-trial hearing at the Pesti Central District Court, where he and several co-defendants pleaded not guilty to charges of “group-committed violence against an official person.”

The charges stem from a 2022 raid by Hungary’s tax authority (NAV) on the premises of Iványi’s church charity, the Hungarian Evangelical Fellowship (Magyarországi Evangéliumi Testvérközösség, MET), which is known for assisting homeless and vulnerable people.

Iványi has denied any violence occurred, saying he was attempting to protect members of his community during the tax authority’s actions. He has characterized the case as politically motivated and said he would rather face prison than falsely confess.

COURT PROCEEDINGS AND PUBLIC SUPPORT

Iványi appeared alongside several co-defendants, including former lawmakers Anna Donáth, Károly Herényi, Zita Gurmai, and Bernadett Szél. All denied wrongdoing.

Hundreds of supporters gathered outside the courthouse, including opposition politicians and civic leaders who described the prosecution as unjust.

Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony, who accompanied the pastor to court, described Iványi as “the living conscience of the city and the country,” and argued that the state had unfairly targeted a man known for helping society’s most vulnerable.

Prosecutors have reportedly sought suspended prison sentences if convictions follow. The trial is scheduled to continue in May.

POLITICAL CONTEXT AHEAD OF ELECTIONS

The case unfolds ahead of Hungary’s April 12 parliamentary elections, with most opinion polls showing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s right-wing Fidesz party trailing the opposition Tisza Party, led by Péter Magyar.

Iványi was once considered close to Orbán during Hungary’s transition from communist rule to democracy. The Methodist pastor officiated at Orbán’s wedding in 1986 and later baptized two of his children.

In recent years, however, Iványi has become one of the prime minister’s most outspoken critics. In Hungarian and international interviews, he has accused Orbán of abandoning democratic principles and building what he calls an “authoritarian” system.

He has argued that the government has weakened institutional independence, including in the judiciary, media, and church governance, and has described the withdrawal of state recognition and funding from his church as political retaliation.

EU CONCERNS AND GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

At least some of those concerns are shared by several representatives of the European Union, which has withheld up to 22 billion euros (about $24 billion) in funding for Hungary in recent years over rule-of-law and corruption concerns.

Hungary’s government has rejected the accusations, saying it acts in accordance with constitutional and parliamentary provisions.

Officials have also insisted that legal and funding decisions involving religious organizations were made through established legislative channels.

The trial of Iványi — a church leader long associated with humanitarian work among the poor — has become a focal point in Hungary’s debate over civil liberties, church-state relations, and the rule of law ahead of the closely watched April 12 parliamentary elections.

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