Hungarian lawyers issue petition regarding rule of law principles

A group of lawyers and public figures, including former Member of Parliament András Schiffer, has released an open letter titled “Ten Points of the Rule of Law Criminal Justice System.” The signatories express concern that fundamental legal guarantees established during the transition to democracy are being endangered.

The petition calls for investigative authorities and judges to uphold core principles such as the presumption of innocence, the right to a fair trial, and the protection of personal liberty. The authors argue that criminal proceedings should focus solely on uncovering objective truth rather than serving as political spectacles. They specifically criticize the practice of presenting suspects in handcuffs or under heavy media scrutiny, which they claim can be humiliating and intimidating.

Regarding detentions, the group asserts that such measures should only be used when there is a genuine risk of flight, concealment, witness tampering, or recidivism. They argue that detention must not be used as a preemptive punishment or as a tool to coerce confessions. Additionally, the document emphasizes the importance of judicial protection and states that monitoring defense attorneys is unacceptable in a rule-of-law state.