Published on 11 July 2022
FIRST SECTION
Application no. 29627/19
Szabolcs SZABÓ against Hungary
and 4 other applications
(see list appended)
communicated on 20 June 2022
SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE
On 12 December 2018 Parliament debated the bill on the amendments to certain acts relating to the organisation of working time and the minimal rental rates for temporary employment which became known as the "overtime law" or "slave act" in Hungary. The applications concern the decision of the Speaker of Parliament to reduce the monthly renumeration of the applicants, members of Parliament, for their conduct during the parliamentary debate and voting. The applicants challenged the Speaker’s decisions before the Committee of Immunities. Since the Committee had not taken a decision within the prescribed time-period, the decisions were submitted to the vote of the plenary Parliament, which upheld the decisions by a majority during its sessions in March 2019. The list of applicants and the relevant part of their applications are set out in the appended table.
QUESTION TO THE PARTIES
Has there been a violation of the applicants’ right to freedom of expression contrary to Article 10 of the Convention due to the fines imposed on them (see Karácsony and Others v. Hungary [GC], nos. 42461/13 and 44357/13, § 162, 17 May 2016)?
APPENDIX
No.
Application no.
Case name
Applicant
Year of Birth
Represented by
Specific grievances
1.
29627/19
Szabó v. Hungary
Szabolcs SZABÓ
1979
Balázs TÓTH T.
The applicant was fined 1,069,200 Hungarian forints (HUF) for having used a whistle and having displayed a placard with the words “Government of multinationals”.
2.
38708/19
Csárdi and Others v. Hungary
Antal CSÁRDI
1976
Erzsébet SCHMUCK
1954
Márta DEMETER
1983
Krisztina HOHN
1972
László Lóránt KERESZTES
1975
Péter Károly UNGÁR
1991
Dániel András KARSAI
The applicants strewed splits of paper on the floor of Parliament saying, “Decent salary instead of slavery”. A fine was imposed on the applicants as follows:
Mr Csárdi:
HUF 504,900
Ms Schmuck:
HUF 504,900
Ms Demeter:
HUF 445,500
Ms Hohn:
HUF 356,400
Mr Keresztes:
HUF 594,000
Mr Ungvár:
HUF 356,400
3.
38766/19
Arató and Others v. Hungary
Gergely László ARATÓ
1968
Lajos OLÁH
1969
Zsolt GRÉCZY
1964
Imre LÁSZLÓ
1946
László HAJDU
1947
Balázs TÓTH T.
The applicants physically blocked the Speaker of Parliament from taking his position on the pulpit and to conduct the parliamentary debate.
For this conduct a fine was imposed on the applicants as follows:
Mr Arató:
HUF 1,514,700
Mr Oláh:
HUF 1,336,500
Mr Gréczy:
HUF 1,069,200
Mr László:
HUF 1,609,200
Mr Hajdu:
HUF 1,247,400
4.
38837/19
Burány and Others v. Hungary
Sándor BURÁNY
1956
Tímea SZABÓ
1976
Bence TORDAI
1981
Tamás MELLÁR
1954
Olivio KOCSIS-CAKE
1980
Balázs TÓTH T.
The applicants physically blocked the Speaker of Parliament from taking his position on the pulpit and to conduct the parliamentary debate. Mr Tordai also used a whistle and displayed a board with the words “Resistance demonstration”. For this conduct a fine was imposed on the applicants as follows:
Mr Burány:
HUF 1,514,700
Ms Szabó:
HUF 1,782,000
Mr Tordai:
HUF 1,514,700
Mr Mellár:
HUF 1,336,500
Mr Kocsis-Cake:
HUF 1,336,500
5.
47436/19
Jakab v. Hungary
Péter JAKAB
1980
During the voting procedure for adopting the law, the applicant covered the Prime Minister’s voting button with his hand. The Speaker imposed a fine on the applicant in the amount of HUF 1,247,400.