Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has warned about Viktor Orbán’s new measures against press freedom. Press cartoonists are no exception.
In a press release, issued after meeting with independent media and national authorities, “Reporters Without Borders (RSF) asks the European institutions to mobilize more than ever to save Hungarian journalism.” Concerned about the situation in the country, which affects cartoonists, Cartooning for Peace joins this appeal to the European institutions and calls for respect for the independence and freedom of the media and for the right to satirical expression in the democratic debate.
Béla Weisz (Hungary) – cartoon published in the late Hungarian newspaper Vasárnapi Hírek
Indeed, while on 3 May 2022, the winners of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prizes awarded Gábor Pápai (and his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Kazanevsky) with the “Kofi Annan Courage in Cartooning Award” 2022 of the “Freedom Cartoonists Foundation” to acknowledge the courage of the man whose newspaper, Népszava, was forced to publish a public apology and pay a fine for the publication of a cartoon in 2020.
The same newspaper was threatened with a co-regulation proceeding for publishing a cartoon by cartoonist Béla Weisz on 7 May 2022.
“I don’t have the slightest wish to have it, not even on my back but it stings and itches as if there was an ugly ulcer on my splendid body, Doctor.”
“Incurable”
The cartoon, which portrayed Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, growing out of the back of the Greek mythological character Europe, was intended to illustrate the Hungarian Prime Minister’s repeated refusal to implement European decisions.
In a statement, members of the Hungarian Media Association (Magyar Nemzeti Médiaszövetség) said they were shocked by the analogy between the Prime Minister and an “ugly ulcer” and the lack of reaction of the “left-wing” media to this insult. The association sent a letter to the editor-in-chief of the newspaper Népszava, demanding a public apology from the newspaper within eight days of receiving it, failing which they would seek co-regulation proceedings. Fortunately, this threat was not acted upon, despite the lack of response from the newspaper.
The journalist of the Magyar Nemzet, Zsolt Bayer, also wrote an article denouncing Béla Weisz’s cartoon, referring, as did the press release of the Hungarian National Media Association, to a previous legal case and concluding that with his depiction of the Prime Minister, Béla Weisz was attacking Viktor Orbán’s human dignity, which the cartoonist refuted, arguing that the cartoon was not a personal attack but a criticism of Orbán’s political acts. The cartoonist also said that he had been the subject of anti-Semitic messages on his Facebook page following the publication.
Cartooning for Peace is disappointed by this new accusation against the newspaper and its cartoonist. The association supports them and condemns the anti-Semitic remarks made against the cartoonist. It also supports RSF’s action and calls for respect for the independence and freedom of the media and for respect for the right to satirical expression in the democratic debate.
