Hungarian Police Detain Brother of Former Prime Minister Viktor Orban

Hungarian police detained Aron Orban, the brother of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, on suspicion of involvement in human trafficking, according to statements and local media reports. Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced the detention on Facebook, noting that the initial report surfaced on the news outlet Kontroll, which is owned by Magyar's brother.

Viktor Orban condemned the arrest as a political smear campaign, claiming that he is the ultimate target of the operation while his brother is merely being used as a pawn. Magyar ousted Orban's long-standing government six months ago, ending a 16-year tenure marked by strict anti-immigration policies and close diplomatic ties with Israel.

Police confirmed that multiple individuals were arrested across Budapest and Pest County as part of an ongoing human trafficking investigation targeting an illegal network that allegedly bypassed administrative procedures to issue visas to foreign nationals in exchange for bribes. Authorities stated that further details regarding the nature of the offenses would be released later.

The high-profile detention comes amid a broader wave of investigations following Orban's departure from power, which has already seen three former ministers detained, including former central bank governor Gyorgy Matolcsy. Since taking office, Prime Minister Peter Magyar has signaled a significant shift in foreign policy, including reversing Hungary's withdrawal from the International Criminal Court.