The German co-governing Social Democratic Party (SPD) has expressed significant concern regarding the situation of Maja T., a German activist currently on hunger strike in Hungary. Falko Droßmann, the SPD parliamentary group’s spokesperson for LGBTQ+ affairs, stated in an interview with the “taz” newspaper that the party is closely monitoring her case. He urged the German Foreign Ministry to have the German ambassador to Hungary personally contact Maja T. and for Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul to address the concerns raised by the German Federal Constitutional Court.
Maja T. has been detained in Hungary for approximately a year, facing charges related to alleged attacks on right-wing extremists in Budapest in February 2023. Her extradition to Hungary was later deemed unlawful by the Federal Constitutional Court. She has been in court proceedings in Budapest since February and has been on hunger strike for five weeks, demanding improved detention conditions and repatriation to Germany. Her condition has recently deteriorated, prompting a transfer to a correctional hospital near the Hungarian-Romanian border.
SPD representative Falko Droßmann visited Maja T. in Budapest prior to her transfer and voiced concerns regarding the conditions of her detention and the fairness of the legal proceedings. He emphasized the importance of a fair trial for Maja T. as a German citizen and highlighted the seriousness of the Federal Constitutional Court’s ruling on her unlawful extradition. The SPD is advocating for all possible diplomatic and legal initiatives to facilitate her return to Germany and is aligning with her in demanding the upholding of her fundamental rights.
Droßmann stressed the need for independent courts to determine, within a fair legal process, whether Maja T. is culpable of any criminal charges, rejecting preemptive judgments or politicization of the case. He placed responsibility on Foreign Minister Wadephul and the Foreign Ministry to take action, stating it is their duty to assist unjustly detained German citizens, irrespective of explicit instructions from the constitutional court.
According to Maja T.’s family, her health has significantly worsened, with a reported weight loss of 14 kilograms and a risk of permanent organ damage. Hungarian medical professionals have reportedly considered forced feeding, despite Maja T.’s documented refusal in an advance directive. The family also indicates that the implantation of a pacemaker is under consideration due to a recent drop in her heart rate to as low as 30 beats per minute. A transfer to a civilian hospital with continuous ECG monitoring has been suggested as an alternative, although concerns have been raised about restrictions, potentially including constant bed restraints, to accommodate Hungarian security protocols.
