German activist sentenced in Hungary over Nazi rally assault
A German activist has been sentenced to eight years in prison in Hungary for attacking right-wing extremists and for being part of an extreme left-wing group.
The 25-year-old, identified only as Maja T., was found guilty of involvement in violent assaults by the group Antifa Ost in the lead-up to an annual commemoration of Nazi soldiers in Budapest, News.Az reports, citing BBC.
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But supporters have raised concerns over whether Maja T., who identifies as non-binary, could receive a fair trial in the Hungarian court, because the country legally recognises only two genders and Pride marches are banned.
Last year, Germany's Constitutional Court found Maja T. could face discriminatory treatment and said an extradition should not proceed.
But the ruling came too late to stop the handover, as police in Germany had already delivered Maja T. to Hungarian authorities by helicopter in an overnight operation in 2024.
The 25-year-old did not comment on the allegations during the trial and the verdict is subject to appeal.
In February 2023, far-right groups from across Europe gathered in Budapest to commemorate the anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
The so-called Day of Honour marked an attempt in 1945 by the German Wehrmacht, the Waffen-SS, and their Hungarian collaborators to break through a Soviet siege of the city.
The commemoration is tolerated by the Hungarian authorities.
Between 9 and 11 February 2023, about 20 alleged left-wing extremists from Antifa Ost, a militant far-left multinational group also known as the "hammer gang", attacked people with batons, rubber hammers and pepper spray at several places in Budapest.
Officials said the attackers believed their victims had participated in the commemoration.
Nine people were injured in a number of incidents, four of them seriously.
Prosecutors said Maja T. was involved in two attacks and part of a criminal organisation.
By Ulviyya Salmanli
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