German Politician to Visit Detained Non-Binary Person in Hungary, Amid Criticism of Human Rights Abuses
German politician Katrin Göring-Eckardt, a long-time leader of the Green party, is set to visit Maja T., a non-binary individual detained in a Budapest prison, at the end of the month, according to a report by the German magazine Spiegel.
Maja T., a native of Thuringia like Göring-Eckardt, is accused of participating in a group of left-wing activists who allegedly beat several right-wing extremists in Budapest in 2023. T. has not publicly commented on the allegations. German authorities had transferred Maja T. to Hungary in June 2024, a move that was later deemed unlawful by the German Constitutional Court.
The European Union has previously identified significant human rights violations in Hungary, including criticisms of the country’s prison conditions. In response, Maja T. has begun a hunger strike. Göring-Eckardt’s planned visit to the prison is not the only demonstration of support, as she also intends to participate in the Pride event in Budapest, which the Hungarian government has banned. However, the city of Budapest has announced its intention to defy the ban and organize the event anyway.
Göring-Eckardt is not the only one planning a trip to Hungary, with over 60 members of the European Parliament, including representatives from the Green, Social Democratic, Liberal, Left and Conservative parties, expected to join her.