In the appeal process against Maja T., the defense once again criticized serious procedural errors and contradictions in the evidence. While the public prosecutor's office is demanding more than 13 years in prison, Maja continues to fight for her freedom after more than two years in Hungarian prison.

A Hungarian court sentenced the non-binary anti-fascist Maja T. to eight years in prison in February. Both Maja's defense and the public prosecutor's office appealed against the verdict. But according to Maja's German lawyer, Sven Richwin, there would be no further taking of evidence or questioning of witnesses.

“The procedure in the appeal instance has more of the characteristics of an appeal procedure as we understand it here,” explained RichwinLTO. According to German law, in the event of an appeal, the facts of the case are reopened by a higher court. All evidence will be re-examined and witnesses will be heard again. In an appeal process, only legal errors made by the first instance are examined.

The first day of the trial took place on Friday. The second day of the trial will take place on September 30th. A verdict is also expected there.

Appeal process started

Maja is accused of attacking fascists as part of the so-called Budapest complex in 2023. The fascists took part in the annual “Day of Honor,” in which numerous organized fascists parade through Budapest and bring their right-wing sentiments to the public.

Unlike on the previous days of the trial, only individual fascists were on site. The reason for this could be, among other things, that the court where the appeal process takes place is further away from a center and meeting point for fascists.

New round of negotiations for anti-fascist Maja after harsh verdict in Hungary

Even before the trial began, however, numerous anti-fascists showed their solidarity with Maja in front of the court building and protested against the actions of the Hungarian judiciary. During the trial, shouts of “Free Maja” from outside can be heard again and again in the courtroom. In addition, the courtroom is filled with Maja's supporters, who also chant there.

The court hearing of the appeal process on Friday lasted the entire day. In addition to Maja's case, the cases of the Italian Gabriele M. and Anna M., who comes from Berlin, were also heard. Three judges deal with the case at the same time.

Prosecutors are calling for higher penalties

The prosecution's argument refers to the fact that membership in a criminal organization carries a penalty of two to 24 years under Hungarian law. The public prosecutor's office is demanding that Maja's sentence be given more than half, i.e. more than 13 years. Your appeal does not relate to the verdict itself, but only to the sentence from the first trial.

Regarding the crime committed by Gabriele M. and Maja T., the public prosecutor's office stated that the defendants had accepted the death of the target persons. The fact that they stopped the act before life-threatening injuries occurred does not change their accusation. They argue that only the behavior of the targets and the possible intervention of third parties prevented them from carrying out their plan. The public prosecutor's office demanded a prison sentence of at least three years for Anna M., also aiming for the middle of the sentence. The accusation here is that he was a member of a criminal organization for years.

Defense wants to obtain an acquittal

The defense's claim is aacquittalfor all three defendants. The defense also criticized the prosecution for not dealing with the procedural errors, even though they had been a reason for the appeal.

The defense also pointed out that Maja's procedural rights were violated because Maja was unable to use her own native language during the proceedings. Despite the evidence-taking process, no chain of evidence was presented.

According to the court, the accusation of a criminal organization is based, among other things, on the statement of the “key witness” Johannes Domhöver - but he was never formally examined as a witness, so neither Maja nor the defense could ask him questions.

The expert report was also incorrect. Injuries were consistently classified as too serious, and the court ignored a witness statement about the lack of use of a weapon. Regarding the first allegation of attack, three victims said they recognized Maja. However, according to the defense, camera footage shows that the person identified only arrived later and only observed the attack. Despite an application, the court did not allow this contradiction to be reviewed.

Martin Schirdewan is chairman of the Left Party in the European Parliament and has been following the case for some time. On Friday he took stock of the trial: "Today's day of the trial has once again made it clear that the allegations against Maja T. are based on inadequate evidence. Maja's lawyer has explained in detail that the sentence of eight years in prison is based on an incomplete accusation based on circumstantial evidence."

First also says that the Hungarian public prosecutor's office is "unwaveringly sticking to its previous course of a political show trial." Schirdewan demands that all diplomatic means be exhausted in order to return Maja to Germany immediately.

Change of course in Budapest: Magyar moves Hungary closer to the EU

Maja suffers from prison conditions

Maja spoke about the pending verdict in aspeechin court: "Certainly there is fear. Fear of how long I will be in this cell. Fear of not seeing people again. Fear that the destructive prison will not only rob me of my clothes, but also my perspective on life."

But the fight must continue, also for the freedom of the other accused anti-fascists: "Alerta, let us not be discouraged. A bouquet of flowers to all people in solidarity. I would like to dedicate a final thought to the anti-fascists Zaid and Gino, who fled from state persecution from their countries to Paris and who are threatened with extradition to Hungary or Germany, just as I was extradited to Hungary over two years ago."

The fact that Maja is on trial in Hungary and has been sitting in a Hungarian prison in torture-like conditions for over two years is because the German state extradited Maja to Hungary in an illegal cloak and dagger operation.

Since then, Maja has been in hidingtorture-like conditionsbehind bars. Daily naked full-body searches, vermin in the cell, hardly any contact with the outside world, video surveillance and moldy food are everyday life. Neither the court nor the guards recognize the gender of the non-binary anti-fascist.

However, Maja did not simply endure the indignity of the prison conditions. By means of a 40-day long hunger strike and through major solidarity work in Germany, outside the prison walls, Maja was able to put pressure on the Foreign Office and persuade Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) to speak to a Hungarian representative.

The extradition to Hungary should not be repeated, Maja explained in her speech in court. “Let’s also fight for the freedom of Zaid, Gino and all anti-fascists,” said Maja.

Maya's fight against harassment

Since May 2026, Maja has also been fighting a battle to dress for herself in prison. The skirts or dresses identified by officials as “women’s clothing” are prohibited in a men’s prison. Although no written or even legal justification was ever provided, the guards used the clothing to protect Majaharass. After numerous comments and instructions, the officers finally used force and overpowered Maja in the cell.

Maja T. attacked by five officers in Hungarian custody for wearing a dress

Disciplinary proceedings were then initiated against Maja. The punishment was exclusion from all leisure and community events for three months. After a lawyer complained against this decision, a higher authority ruled in favor of Maja and the measures were takenwithdrawn.

The postKey witness never heard, video evidence ignored: Appeal process against Maja started in Hungaryappeared firstperspective.