As Hungary heads toward a pivotal election, the camera turns on two of its most prominent drug policy advocates. In this interview conducted by Arild Knutsen, Drugreporter founders Péter Sárosi and István Gábor Takács reflect on decades of activism—and explain why they are now taking their fight to the streets to challenge an increasingly repressive system.

On February 28, thousands of people gathered in Budapest and three other Hungarian cities for an unusual form of protest: a peaceful demonstration expressed through electronic music and collective dancing against the increasingly harsh war on drugs.

On December 6, something extraordinary happened on Kossuth Square in front of the Hungarian Parliament. What began as a response to escalating police harassment of musicians, clubs, and young partygoers transformed into a vibrant, peaceful celebration of community, culture, and freedom: Dance for Freedom (Tánc a Szabadságért). [Updated with video!]

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.”

A pre-dawn house search targeting 8th-district opposition candidate Alexander Horváth reveals how Hungary’s “war on drugs” has become a political weapon — deployed to intimidate dissent and control narratives ahead of elections.

The Hungarian Police have launched a new drug prevention campaign in schools. Drugreporter’s position is that police-led prevention based on outdated ideas and scare tactics has no place in our classrooms.

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.

The Hungarian government proposed a Russia-style bill that would effectively ban our organisation, the Rights Reporter Foundation.

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.

The Trump administration’s slashing of foreign aid is already having a devastating impact on harm reduction and HIV services around the world. But the harmful effects extend far beyond that. Drugreporter interviewed key experts at the annual UN drugs meeting, the CND in Vienna, to provide a clear picture of the real impacts.