Changes in the Hungarian criminal procedure due to COVID-19

On 31 March 2020, the Hungarian Government issued a decree that overrode certain provisions of the Hungarian Code of Criminal Procedure with a view to state of danger declared by the Government due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Further amendments followed on 8 May after the adoption of another government decree.

The main changes to the Hungarian criminal procedure introduced due to COVID-19 concern the following areas, among others:

–       presence at procedural acts,

–       summons, access to case files,

–       the public nature of trials,

–       the possibility to issue penal orders,

–       suspension of procedures and extending procedural deadlines,

–       the composition of courts.

For a detailed presentation of the changes, see the following information note prepared by the Hungarian Helsinki Committee:

Changes in the Hungarian criminal procedure due to COVID-19 (8 May 2020)