The annual LGBTQI Pride March in Pécs, Hungary, scheduled for 4 October 2025, has been banned by Hungarian authorities, putting the organizer at risk of imprisonment. Unlike Budapest Pride, which is organized as a municipal event, Pécs Pride is organized by a private individual and is classified as an assembly under Hungarian law. The police initially prohibited the event on 5 September, and the Kúria (Supreme Court of Hungary) upheld the ban, citing Section 13/A of the Assembly Act and Article XVI (1) of the Fundamental Law. Under Hungarian law, holding a banned assembly constitutes a criminal offence, exposing the organizer to up to one year in prison, while participants face fines and possible facial recognition surveillance.
This year’s Pécs Pride differs from Budapest Pride in both scale and context. The march is organized by the director of the Pécs-based Diverse Youth Network, without any municipal support, making organizers and participants more vulnerable to legal repercussions. The event aims to stand up for legal equality for sexual and gender minorities, protest arbitrary restrictions on freedom of assembly, commemorate LGBTQI victims of the Holocaust, and speak against discriminatory amendments affecting Roma communities.
Since 15 April 2025, Hungarian authorities may ban assemblies that “depict” or “promote” homosexuality and gender diversity. In practice, any assembly advocating for equal rights or featuring LGBTQI speakers may now be prohibited. Authorities have increasingly invoked these laws to restrict LGBTQI events, and the discriminatory application is often based solely on the sexual orientation or gender identity of organizers or speakers.
The recent Budapest Pride, held in June, demonstrated widespread support for equality, with hundreds of thousands of participants. Despite its municipal status, the Budapest Mayor, Gergely Karácsony, is now under criminal investigation, facing charges related to the march. In Pécs, the risks for both organizers and participants are even higher, with far-right groups announcing concurrent anti-LGBTQI gatherings on the same day.
The European Union must act decisively. The ban on Pécs Pride constitutes a blatant violation of fundamental rights, including freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, equality, and non-discrimination. The discriminatory amendment to the Assembly Act, based on the so-called “Child Protection Law,” is currently under an infringement procedure before the CJEU (C-769/22), with both the European Commission and the EU Attorney General recognizing it as incompatible with EU law.
We urge the European Commission to use all enforcement mechanisms to lift the ban, protect organizers and participants, and challenge the use of facial recognition technology for repression. EU Member States and the European Parliament should publicly condemn Hungary’s actions, support the LGBTQI community, and consider participation in Pécs Pride as a show of solidarity.
The ban on Pécs Pride is not just a local issue—it is a test for the EU’s commitment to upholding human rights. Immediate and visible action is necessary to defend the fundamental freedoms of assembly, expression, and equality for all citizens in Hungary.
