BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) 鈥� Hungary’s pro-Russian government has launched criminal charges against a prominent investigative journalist whom it accuses of conducting spying activities in coordination with a foreign country, a minister said on Thursday.
The journalist, Szabolcs Panyi, focuses on national security and intelligence reporting and has published extensive reports detailing Russian influence operations in Hungary as well as the relationship between Moscow and .
Panyi denies the allegations, and an outlet he writes for has accused Hungary’s government of 鈥渞esorting to authoritarian tactics鈥� to discredit the journalist and his findings.
In a secret recording made without Panyi’s knowledge and released in an edited format in Hungary’s government-tied media this week, Panyi can be heard speaking to a source about confirming a phone number used by Hungarian Foreign Minister P茅ter Szijj谩rt贸 as part of an investigation into Szijj谩rt贸’s communications with his Russian counterpart.
The Washington Post, citing several current and former European security officials, reported on the weekend that Szijj谩rt贸 during breaks in EU council meetings to provide him with 鈥渄irect reports on what was discussed鈥� and possible solutions.
Szijj谩rt贸 has dismissed the report while acknowledging that he confers with Lavrov before and after EU foreign minister meetings about their agenda and decisions.
In a news conference on Thursday, Gergely Guly谩s, the chief of staff to Prime Minister Viktor Orb谩n, said Hungary’s justice minister had filed charges against Panyi on suspicion of espionage. Guly谩s said Panyi had 鈥渟pied against his own country in cooperation with a foreign state,鈥� and that his role as a journalist was a 鈥渃over activity.鈥�
Guly谩s added it was 鈥渓egally debatable鈥� whether the journalist’s activities amounted to treason.
In a social media post on Thursday, Panyi denied any wrongdoing and rejected the Hungarian government’s allegations that he had shared Szijj谩rt贸’s phone number with a foreign state.
鈥淎ccusing investigative journalists of espionage is virtually unprecedented in the 21st century for a member state of the European Union. This is really something more typical of Putin鈥檚 Russia, Belarus and similar regimes,鈥� he wrote.
鈥淣ot only have I never engaged in espionage, I actually see my investigative work as a kind of journalistic counter-intelligence activity鈥� to counter Russian operations, he added.
Panyi writes for Hungarian investigative outlet Direkt36, as well as the Warsaw-based Central European investigative outlet VSquare. In a statement on Wednesday prior to the filing of charges, VSquare wrote that Orb谩n’s government had launched a 鈥渟mear campaign鈥� against Panyi 鈥渢o undermine his findings, distract the public, and discredit a reporter who reveals compromising information.”
An in 2021 found that Panyi had been targeted by the military-grade spyware Pegasus, produced by Israel-based NSO Group. Pegasus infiltrates phones to collect personal and location data and can surreptitiously control the phone鈥檚 microphones and cameras.
A senior government official in Orb谩n’s party that the Hungarian government had purchased and deployed the software, which was used against at least 10 lawyers, one opposition politician and several government-critical journalists.
Prime Minister Orb谩n and his Fidesz party are facing an unprecedented in his last 16 years in power. Trailing by double digits in most polls behind a center-right, pro-Western opponent, Orb谩n has cast the stakes of the April 12 vote as existential for Hungary, arguing that if he loses the election the country will be dragged into Russia’s war in neighboring Ukraine.
U.S. President Donald Trump, an Orb谩n ally, has repeatedly endorsed the prime minister in his reelection bid. Vice President JD Vance is in the days before the election in a show of support for Orb谩n.
Orb谩n’s campaign has revolved around , and in recent days the government has accused Kyiv of deploying its secret services to influence the outcome of the election.
In a video posted to social media Thursday, Orb谩n called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to 鈥渋mmediately call home his agents,鈥� but provided no evidence for his claims.
Hungary’s government has dismissed reporting that suggests Russian intelligence agencies are conducting operations to sway the election in Orb谩n’s favor.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
