Klubrádió, which often featured votes from the Hungarian opposition, had appealed to the court after the license was revoked by the country’s media council last year for alleged violations of rules on advertising, among other things.
The members of the Media Council are elected by the Hungarian National Assembly, in which Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party has a majority.
Responding to Judge Regina Antal’s ruling on Tuesday, the Media Council said in an online statement: “ The verdict stated that since Klubrádió had not appealed against the repeated violations causing the legal exclusion, they had become final, so that there is no choice but to refuse to renew them. “
Mihaly Hardy, Klubrádió news director said: “There is a huge propaganda balloon built up by the government and Klubrádió was a little hole, a little piece of truth where the air could escape, so they had to close this little hole in the balloon. build their own propaganda world that does not reflect the reality of Hungary. ”
Klubrádió’s license expires on February 14. He can still broadcast over the internet. The station may appeal the ruling, Judge Regina Antal said.
Dunja Mitajovic, the Human Rights Commissioner of the Council of Europe, tweeted that the statement marked “another silent voice in Hungary” and “another sad day for #MediaFreedom”.
The International Press Institute has also condemned the ruling. Director Scott Griffen said the verdict will “force Hungary’s last major independent radio broadcaster out of the air. It is devastating to what remains of media pluralism in Hungary and will have far-reaching consequences within and beyond the country’s borders.
“Make no mistake, this is the result of a deliberate, decade-long attempt by the political forces in Hungary to remove Klubrádió from the airwaves. The court has only dealt the final blow,” he said.
“In recent years, the Fidesz-controlled Media Council and the government have one by one closed all remaining ways for Klubrádió to stay on the air when its extension was rejected due to politically motivated decisions. to renew the license of Klubrádió, the fate was as good as sealed. “