Hungary Detains Former PM Orban's Brother in Smuggling Probe

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has confirmed that the brother of former prime minister Viktor Orban has been detained. The arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into a people-smuggling case. Magyar disclosed the development during a speech delivered in Berlin on Monday.

The news followed a statement from the National Asset Protection and Recovery Office. The anti-graft body announced that it and police forces had detained four individuals. Authorities also conducted searches at multiple locations in Budapest and Pest county. The operation is linked to a specific criminal investigation.

Magyar noted that three former ministers from the previous administration are already in custody. He specifically mentioned that Aron Orban, a 49-year-old businessman and the younger brother of the former prime minister, was taken into custody on Monday.

Viktor Orban responded to the detention by posting on his Facebook page. He characterized the move as an act of political revenge. Orban wrote that the goal of the current situation is to eliminate political opposition and establish a one-party system. He described himself as the primary target, while stating that his brother is merely a tool in this process.

The National Asset Protection and Recovery Office did not name the suspects in its initial statement. Police also declined to identify the detainees in an email response to Reuters. The office was created to investigate allegations of corruption that emerged during Orban's 16-year tenure. Orban has consistently denied these allegations.

The office is a central component of Magyar's government's anti-corruption strategy. Magyar established the body after defeating Orban in the April election. He has referred to the government's broader campaign against graft as Operation Purgatory.

According to the Monday statement, the four detained individuals are suspected of helping Vietnamese citizens reach Western Europe. The activities allegedly took place over several months in 2024. The group is accused of human smuggling committed as part of a criminal conspiracy for financial gain.

Authorities said the perpetrators charged visa applicants with a recruitment fee at Hungarian foreign missions in Vietnam. The detained individuals then shared these fees among themselves. The group consists of one woman and three men.

In September, the office identified selling political connections for residence permits as one of its first four investigation areas. This focus aligns with the current charges against the detainees.

Two former ministers from Orban's government are currently under arrest. Additionally, former central bank chief Gyorgy Matolcsy is also in custody. These individuals are facing graft accusations in separate investigations related to the previous administration.