The Budapest Court of Appeal reduced the prison sentences of German activist Maja T. and Italian activist Gabriele Marchesi by one year on September 30, 2026, ruling that the defendants did not operate as members of a criminal organization. Maja T. now faces seven years in prison, while Marchesi faces six years, following convictions tied to clashes with neo-Nazis in February 2023.
Budapest Court of Appeal Reduces Sentences for Maja T. and Gabriele Marchesi
The appeals court in Budapest issued its verdict on September 30, 2026, lowering Maja T.’s sentence from eight to seven years and reducing Marchesi’s prison term to six years, according to reporting by la Repubblica and HuffPost Italia. Both defendants were originally convicted for their involvement in attacks against a group of neo-Nazis during the annual “Honor Day” gathering in Budapest in February 2023. The appellate judges specifically found that the pair did not act as members of a criminal association, altering the legal basis of the first-instance rulings from earlier in the year.
The case drew international scrutiny because of its overlap with the legal ordeal of Italian MEP Ilaria Salis. Salis faced identical accusations of participating in the 2023 clashes and spent months in a Hungarian detention facility under conditions that triggered widespread condemnation. Salis gained release in May 2024 after securing election to the European Parliament with Alleanza Verdi e Sinistra, which granted her parliamentary immunity.
Political Condemnation and Immunity Debates
Following the September 30 ruling, Ilaria Salis denounced the updated sentences as completely disproportionate to the alleged actions. In statements reported by HuffPost Italia, the European lawmaker argued that the entire judicial process suffered from severe flaws regarding evidentiary standards and procedural guarantees. She also asserted that Viktor Orbán’s government maintained political influence over the proceedings, noting that the European Parliament previously recognized a fumus persecutionis—or suspicion of persecution—when evaluating requests to lift her immunity.
Salis urged that Maja T. not remain in Hungary to serve the remainder of the sentence, pointing out that the German activist already endured two years in harsh Hungarian detention facilities. Regarding Marchesi, Salis noted that Italian courts previously blocked his extradition to Hungary due to concerns regarding prison safety standards in the country, maintaining that he should remain in Italy.
Extradition Proceedings for Rexhino Abazaj
While the Budapest court reviewed the sentences for Maja T. and Marchesi, the legal case surrounding a fourth antifascist militant advanced in France. Rexhino Abazaj, also known as “Gino,” faced an extradition battle involving French, German, and Hungarian authorities. According to HuffPost Italia, the French Court of Cassation in Paris rejected an appeal filed by Abazaj against a previous August 19 ruling that authorized his transfer to Germany.
French courts previously refused to hand Abazaj directly to Budapest, citing risks to his fundamental rights within the Hungarian prison system. However, the clearance for his transfer to Germany leaves the activist vulnerable to subsequent extradition to Hungary, where prosecutors could seek a sentence of up to 24 years compared to a maximum of 10 years in Germany. Defense attorneys Laurent Pasquet-Marinacce and Youri Krassoulia criticized the French Supreme Court for approving the German request without adequate safeguards for Abazaj’s personal safety, noting that Budapest may have already convicted him in absentia.
Budapest Court of Appeal lowers sentences for Maja T. and Gabriele Marchesi
Why were the sentences for Maja T. and Gabriele Marchesi reduced?
The Budapest Court of Appeal lowered both sentences by one year on September 30, 2026, after concluding that the defendants did not operate as members of a criminal organization.
What were Maja T. and Gabriele Marchesi convicted of?
Hungarian authorities convicted the activists for participating in attacks against a group of neo-Nazis during the “Honor Day” gatherings in Budapest in February 2023.
What is the status of Rexhino Abazaj?
The French Court of Cassation dismissed an appeal by Rexhino Abazaj on September 30, 2026, confirming his extradition from France to Germany while French authorities previously blocked a direct transfer to Hungary over human rights concerns.
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