Médiafórum welcomes the first-instance ruling of the Budapest Metropolitan Court, which found that the Sovereignty Protection Office (SPO) had violated the reputation of Átlátszó’s journalists.
The lawsuit concerned a 2024 report published by the SPO, which accused the outlet—among other things—of intelligence gathering and spreading disinformation on behalf of foreign actors, without providing any supporting evidence. Átlátszó argued that these unfounded allegations seriously damaged the reputation of its editorial staff and therefore filed a lawsuit against the Office.
According to the court’s first-instance decision, the SPO had made false claims and acted unlawfully. The Office was ordered to issue an apology, publish a corrective statement, and pay compensation for damages. The ruling is not yet final, the parties may appeal.
The decision sends a clear message: public authorities cannot abuse their communication powers, nor can they launch unfounded, targeted attacks against journalists. Baseless accusations against the independent press carry consequences.
Commenting on the judgment, Tamás Bodoky, Editor-in-Chief of Átlátszó, said: “The court’s decision is a great satisfaction for us, as it has become clear that even a state body cannot lie without consequences. It is therefore worthwhile to turn to the courts if someone has suffered harm at the hands of the Sovereignty Protection Office.”
10/12/2025