Budapest mayor Gergely Karácsony has been charged by Hungarian prosecutors for organizing and leading a public gathering in defiance of a police ban on Budapest Pride.

Karácsony reacted on Facebook, saying he’s proud to be a defendant and framed the charges as a price paid for defending freedom.

The case sits in a broader pattern of the government tightening LGBTQ+ rights, including a March 2025 law that allows Pride marches to be banned to protect children, critics say as part of democratic erosion ahead of April elections.

Polls ahead of the April 12 election show the opposition center-right Tisza party leading Orban’s Fidesz by roughly nine to twelve points.

The situation remains developing, with updates expected as new information emerges.

Prosecutors have proposed a summary judgment with an unspecified fine, signaling a legal move weeks before parliamentary elections.

The case is framed as a test of democracy and EU rights, with Green Party leaders warning against authoritarianism and defending peaceful assembly.

Officials warned organizers could face prison and discussed using facial recognition, though police later said they would not target the estimated crowd.

The charges highlight ongoing tension between Budapest’s liberal local government and the national conservative government over LGBTQ+ rights and protests.

With elections looming, Orbán remains at risk of defeat by Peter Magyar, who has pledged to safeguard constitutional freedom of assembly for all.

The prosecutorate seeks a criminal judgment via a penal order and monetary fine, avoiding a full public trial despite control of the office by Orbán’s allies.

The Pride march represented a major protest against the national-conservative government and its policies.