The Constitutional Protection of Freedom of Expression in the first Decade of the Fundamental Law of Hungary

Abstract

The overview traces the changes in the Hungarian Constitutional Court’s jurisprudence in the context of freedom of expression under the now decadeold Fundamental Law, that is, in the light of the decisions adopted since 1 January 2012. It concludes that, despite some inconsistencies, significant progress has been made in defining the scope and limits of freedom of expression over the years under review. Public debates have remained widely protected, while human dignity has not been left defenceless. The courts have been given clear standards in a number of areas, in particular the protection of personality rights, and the case law has extended to issues such as press reports or the protection of image rights, which were previously excluded from the jurisdiction of the Constitutional Court.