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Criminalisation


Nov 14, 2025
Péter Sárosi
Hungary’s war on drugs has entered a new and troubling phase. In recent months, the government has deployed police powers not only in nightclubs, but also against some opposition politicians and some of the country’s most popular musicians—accusing them of promoting a “drug lifestyle.”

Jun 3, 2025
Péter Sárosi
In this global sign-on letter, 116 civil society organisations from 47 countries raise the alarm over the ‘war on drugs’ launched by the Hungarian government in March 2025, which has resulted in aggressive police interventions targeting people who use drugs, and a concerning crackdown on harm reduction service providers and civil society organisations promoting human rights-centred drug policies.

Apr 29, 2025
Péter Sárosi
The government majority in the Hungarian Parliament has passed an amendment to the Criminal Code introducing stricter penalties for drug offences. Civil society organisations that have criticised these legal changes and advocate for harm reduction are now facing threats and defunding.

Mar 22, 2025
Péter Sárosi
Under the pretext of fighting a war on drugs to “protect the children,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is preparing a major crackdown on civil society and free speech. This could lead to harm reduction and drug policy reform being repressed—much like in Russia—including Drugreporter itself.

Mar 3, 2025
Péter Sárosi
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has declared a war on drug traffickers, announcing that Hungary will amend its constitution to criminalise drug use. However, civil society warns that this approach is bound to fail and a more integrated, health-focused approach is needed instead.

Dec 6, 2024
Péter Sárosi
At its bi-annual gathering the European harm reduction movement addressed the multiple challenges of our time: rising populism, shrinking space for civil society, changing drug markets and changing needs of people who use drugs. Watch our film we produced at the conference!


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