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Tunisia president's far-reaching clampdown targets opponents – DW – 07/11/2025

Tunisia president's far-reaching clampdown targets opponents – DW – 07/11/2025

DW4 days ago
Tunisian President Kais Saied enters his fifth year of authoritarian rule by sentencing politicians to lengthy jail terms. Is he taking aim at corruption? Or eliminating the opposition for good?
The latest mass trial in Tunis' primary court has ensured that President Kais Saied won't have to worry about dissent from 21 of his fiercest political opponents for many years to come.
On Tuesday, politicians and officials, including opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi, were variously sentenced to 12 to 35 years in prison.
Ghannouchi, the 86-year-old leader of Tunisia's Islamist Ennahda party and former speaker of the parliament, refused to appear in court, where he was given a 14-year sentence for forming a "secret security apparatus."
By staying in his cell, where he has been since April 2023, he upheld his boycott of Tunisia's judiciary, which he deems politically manipulated. Together with the latest verdict, his prison time now adds up to 27 years.Ten of those convicted for charges of terrorism, violence, or attempts to overthrow the government are already in jail.
The other 11 convicted politicians have already left the country. Among them are Tunisia's former Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, former Foreign Minister Rafik Abdessalem, Nadia Akacha, Saied's former chief of staff, and Tasnim and Mouadh Ghannouchi, the children of Rached Ghannouchi.
However, as they would be arrested upon return, the verdicts essentially bar them from entering the country or becoming politically active in Tunisia for decades.
"The verdicts issued in the latest 'Conspiring Case 2' are a new wave of persecution of the opposition and an attempt to isolate and marginalize it," Riad Chaibi, a Tunisian politician and advisor of Rached Ghannouchi, told DW.
"The judiciary's subservience to political directives means that these verdicts do not reflect the supremacy of the law, nor do they reflect justice and the conditions of a fair trial," he said.
In his view, the verdicts issued in this and other cases have a purely political background.
Also Bassam Khawaja, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Division at Human Rights Watch regards the latest verdicts as part of a broader pattern in which the Tunisian authorities target the political opposition.
"We haven't seen all of the evidence in these cases, but the authorities are frequently using corruption or financial crimes' accusations to go after political opponents, activists, journalists, human rights defenders in a way that's very clearly abusive," Khawaja told DW.
"At this point it is very obvious that these trials are not fair," he said, adding that "essentially they are clearing the field to ensure that there is no political opposition within Tunisia."
Saied's increasing crackdown on Tunisia's opposition stands in stark contrast with his views when he became president in 2019.
At the time, the politically independent former law professor garnered a majority of 72% and broad public support for his vows to tackle corruption, and to modernize the state while upholding Tunisia's democracy.
However, after two unremarkable years, Saied developed a taste forpower consolidation . Since then, the now 67-year-old has dismantled most democratic bodies, including the country's judiciary.
In late 2024, Saied secured a second term in a vote that observers deemed neither free nor democratic. Tunisia's rights situation has also taken a turn for the worse. Most candidates were either not admitted or imprisoned. Scores of journalists and activists were jailed.
In Saied's view, however, all of these steps are justified to shore up the country's "war of national liberation" and to end corruption.
For Riccardo Fabiani, director of the North Africa Project at the conflict-prevention NGO International Crisis Group, points out that Tunisia's "structural corruption problem" has deep roots.
"Undoubtedly there are a lot of politicians and entrepreneurs in Tunisia that have broken rules and bribed whoever they needed to bribe to achieve their goals, whether these were political or business goals," he said, adding that the current clampdown was not motivated by an honest urge to uproot corruption.
"By using the accusation of corruption, the president is trying to stifle the opposition," Fabiani said, describing corruption as "a pretext."
Meanwhile, Saied is under no pressure to alter his increasingly undemocratic course.
"There is not strong enough internal mobilization against him and his increasingly authoritarian rule," said Fabiani. "There is no external pressure whatsoever, particularly from Europe, given that the European Union and European governments are benefiting from Tunisia's role controlling migration."
Despite this, Ghannouchi's advisor and oppositional politician Riad Chaibi stresses that he is not going to give up. "We will continue the struggle to restore the democratic process and release all political prisoners," he told DW. "There are many voices in this country... We believe that our path will ultimately triumph."
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Ukraine updates: Trump says Kyiv 'shouldn't' target Moscow – DW – 07/16/2025
Ukraine updates: Trump says Kyiv 'shouldn't' target Moscow – DW – 07/16/2025

DW

time3 hours ago

  • DW

Ukraine updates: Trump says Kyiv 'shouldn't' target Moscow – DW – 07/16/2025

Donald Trump says the US is "not looking" to supply Ukraine with weapons to reach deeper into Russia. Meanwhile, the EU has failed to reach an agreement on an 18th round of sanctions against Moscow. DW has more. Donald Trump has reportedly asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a July 4 call if Ukraine's forces could potentially strike the Russian cities of Moscow or St. Petersburg. The White House has pushed back on media reporting on the call, saying it is being taken out of context. When asked if he intended to supply Ukraine with weapons that could reach deeper into Russian territory, the Trump said: "We're not looking to do that." Meanwhile, European Union foreign ministers gathered in Brussels for a summit that discussed the bloc's support for Ukraine and tougher sanctions on Russia. At the end of the working day on Tuesday, EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said the 27-member bloc had failed to approve an 18th sanctions package against Russia. Slovakia has been holding up the package, but Kallas said an agreement could still be reached tomorrow. US President Donald Trump told journalists at the White House that Ukraine "shouldn't" hit the Russian capital of Moscow with attacks. The remark comes after the (FT) and reported that Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a July 4 call if it were possible to militarily target Moscow and the major Russian metropolis of St. Petersburg. The White House earlier accused the FT of taking the Trump-Zelenskyy call out of context. Trump offered a more cautious tone on Tuesday after he threatened Russia on Monday with steep tariffs if President Vladimir Putin doesn't move within 50 days to end the war. DW spoke with British journalist Catherine Belton after Trump made new threats towards Russia. Having previously worked in Moscow, Belton has extensively covered the rise of Russian President Vladimir Putin. 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"I think there are worries among some in the Russian elite that Putin may have overplayed his hand," Belton said. Bradley Bowman, the senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank in Washington DC, spoke to DW on Trump's promise to provide Patriot missiles to Ukraine. Bowman said that although details are still unclear, the Patriot missiles would be in addition to previous US weapons commitments to Ukraine. "These would be additional Patriot systems and additional interceptors that Patriots use to shoot down a number of things, including Russian ballistic missiles," Bowman said. "These systems could come from Europeans who currently field the Patriot systems and/or they could come from the United States. Either way, it would be American produced Patriots, funded by Europeans, sent to Ukraine." Bowman said the Patriot missiles are at the "top of the list" for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "This will help, but it is not a panacea. It will reduce the effectiveness of some Russian attacks and save many Ukrainian lives," Zelenskyy said. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "It's going to underscore to Putin and Beijing that America is not neutral in the face of unprovoked, authoritarian aggression. It will have many benefits, it will save many lives and it will increase, frankly, Trump's leverage in dealing with Putin," he added. "We'll see if it is enough leverage to get Vladimir Putin to finally negotiate in good faith. I'm not holding my breath, but I think it is a positive step in the right direction." US President Donald Trump earlier this week said the US would sell weapons such as missiles and artillery shells to European NATO allies, which would then be sent to Ukraine. EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said she hopes Ukraine will get the weapons the US has promised. At the same time, Kallas suggested that the US "share the burden" of providing weapons to Ukraine. "If you promise to give the weapons, but say that it's somebody else who is going to pay for it, it is not really given by you," Kallas said. The EU has failed to approve a new round of sanctions of Russia, EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said after a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels. Kallas said she was "really sad" that there wasn't an agreement today. She said she was still "optimistic," however, that a deal would be reached tomorrow. In order to adopt the sanctions, the 27 EU members states would have to agree on adopting the punitive measures against Moscow. Slovakia has been reportedly holding up the sanctions due to concerns over a EU proposal to end imports of Russian gas by January 1, 2028. US President Donald Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy if Ukraine's military could potentially strike the Russian cities of Moscow or St. Petersburg, according to reports from the and . "Volodymyr, can you hit Moscow?... Can you hit St. Petersburg too?" Trump said in a July 4 call with Zelenskyy, the FT reported, citing several sources. "Absolutely. We can if you give us the weapons," Zelenskyy replied. The also reported on the call, citing a source. The reported that the call between Zelenskyy and Trump conveyed "Trump's determination to squeeze Putin." The White House has disputed FT's framing of the Trump-Zelenskyy call. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed the FT is "notorious for taking words wildly out of context." "President Trump was merely asking a question, not encouraging further killing," Leavitt told the . "He is working tirelessy to stop the killing and end this war." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Trump has grown tired with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the Kremlin-ordered invasion of Ukraine continues. During his reelection campaign in 2024, Trump ran on the promise to end the war in Ukraine. Trump announced on Monday that the US will send Patriot missiles to Ukraine to defend itself, with the weapons being paid for by the European Union. The US president on Monday vowed 'very very severe' tariffs against Russia if a Ukraine truce deal is not achieved within 50 days. US President Donald Trump has threatened Vladimir Putin's Russia with tariffs unless it agrees to a peace deal with Ukraine. This has led many to wonder if this sudden turnaround signals the end of the so-called "bromance" between the two leaders. Analyst Boris Vormann tells us that it looks like a major shift, even though Donald Trump has never articulated a foreign policy vision. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has delivered a eulogy to his country and its people to mark Ukraine's Day of Statehood as it continues to face the full-scale Russian invasion launched in 2022. Zelenskyy spoke of the bond between the many generations that had lived in the country. "This day is about connection," he said. "About every stage of our statehood and about the bond that unites dozens of generations: those who lived in this land a thousand years ago and those who live here today." "A bridge through time, standing on three unshakable pillars: Ukrainians were here, Ukrainians are here, Ukrainians will be here," he added. He went on to say that Ukrainians were motivated to keep going not by praise from the country's allies about how brave and resilient they are but by the desire for self-preservation. "[...] Ukrainians are holding on not for that, not for the loud accolades directed at us. We are simply people defending our home. And we cannot do otherwise — because we do not want otherwise. We do not want Russia here. That is the whole truth," he said. His address also expressed gratitude to the "millions of Ukrainians" involved in defending the country. "It is a great cause, carried by you. The heroes at the front. Those holding the line. Those intercepting missiles and 'Shaheds' every night. Those extinguishing fires, those clearing rubble. And every citizen who has endured throughout this difficult time," he said. "Happy Statehood Day, fellow citizens!" Russian forces have taken control of two villages in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, much of which is controlled by Russian-backed separatists. In posts on Telegram, the Russian Defense Ministry said its troops had taken Voskresenka and Petrivka. The ministry said Ukraine had lost "up to 125 troops" during the offensive to "liberate" Petrovka. In Voskresenka, up to 185 Ukrainian troops were lost, the ministry said. The battlefield reports could not be independently verified. More now on the Ukrainian drone attacks overnight, which Russian authorities say left 18 people injured. Russia says it shot down 55 Ukrainian drones over five regions in the country's south and southwestern regions. The falling debris damaged homes and commercial buildings in Voronezh, where 16 people were injured. "Sixteen people, including a teenager, were hurt as a result of the attack," Voronezh regional Governor Alexander Gusev said on Telegram. Gusev said most of the injuries were minor, involving cuts and shrapnel wounds. "But there are also injuries of a different nature and serious cases," he added. "One man is in a coma, another has a lung injury." Unverified video shared by a Telegram channel with ties to Russia's security services showed an airborne object smashing into a building on a residential street in Voronezh, the regional capital city. The crash ignited a large fireball. Voronezh's mayor Sergei Petrin said a kindergarten was damaged. In the neighboring region of Lipetsk, a drone crashed into an industrial area of the city of Yelets, leaving one person injured, Lipetsk governor Igor Artamonov said on Telegram. In Bryansk, a region which borders Ukraine and Belarus, one woman was injured in a drone attack on Sluchevsk village, according to Bryansk governor Alexander Bogomaz. Russia has said it needs time to respond to US President Donald Trump's 50-day deadline to end the war in Ukraine or face more sanctions. During the remarks on Monday, Trump also unveiled plans to provide Kyiv with more weapons and impose "very severe" tariffs on Russia's trading partners. Speaking to reporters in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Trump's statement is "very serious." "We certainly need time to analyse what was said in Washington." Trump's sanctions and tariffs threat marks a significant shift in approach towards Russia and its invasion of Ukraine, as the White House has grown increasingly frustrated with Putin and the Kremlin over the lack of progress in peace talks. Peskov insisted that Russia, which has rejected previous US ceasefire proposals, is willing to negotiate. Russia is "waiting for proposals from the Ukrainian side on the timing of the third round of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations," Peskov said. Russia and Ukraine have held two rounds of direct talks in recent months, but those meetings in Turkey have failed to yield a peace deal. Ukraine has accused Russia of making unrealistic demands, including abandoning its ambitions to join NATO and agreeing to giving up territory in eastern Ukraine that has been occupied by Russian forces for years. The Kremlin spokesman also said Trump's remarks on Monday would likely encourage Kyiv and hinder attempts to bring about a ceasefire. "It seems that such a decision made in Washington and in NATO countries and directly in Brussels will be perceived by Kyiv not as a signal for peace but for the continuation of the war," he said. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp has also welcomed Donald Trump's announcement that the US will provide NATO countries with weapons for Ukraine. "We need to ramp up pressure on Russia," Veldkamp said. That's the "only way forward," he said, although he did say that Trump's 50-day deadline is "rather long." Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Veldkamp said, "We will look into what we can do also in relation to Mr. Trump's announcements and take it from there," adding that "we're looking into that with a positive inclination." Veldkamp pointed out that the Netherlands has already provided significant military support to Kyiv. He highlighted Patriot missile systems, missile batteries, F-16 fighter planes, portable missiles known as MANPADS, as well as drone cooperation. Asked by DW's Finlay Duncan, reporting from Brussels, about whether it appears that the Trump administration's views are aligning closer with those of Europe, Veldkamp said he is "very glad there's convergence" between Washington and Brussels. He said he "appreciates" that the US seems to finally understand that "Putin is dragging his feet" when it comes to earnestly working towards a ceasefire. Veldkamp also said he was pleased to see the bipartisan support in the US for a sanctions package that has the support of 87 out of 100 senators. "It's very important that the US is on the move and that we're on the move together as EU," he said, adding that he hopes the bloc will approve the 18th sanctions package "sooner rather than later." Latvian deputy Foreign Minister Artjoms Ursulskis has said Riga is confident any remaining issues blocking the approval of an 18th round of sanctions on Russia will be dealt with. Ursulskis, is attending the Brussels meeting instead of Foreign Minister Baiba Braze, who is visiting the US this week. Slovakia has reportedly been holding up the passage of the European Commission's June proposal amid concerns over sanctions on Russian oil. But Ursulskis said ministers would "iron out" those "small details on economic impacts." He also said the focus on the next round of sanctions should be Russia's so-called shadow fleet. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Moscow has used a number of opaquely owned and often non-insured ships to sell its oil while circumventing Western sanctions imposed in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022. "It's not just about sanctioning ships, but companies helping to circumvent sanctions," Ursulskis said, which help "bring in a lot of money for the Russian economy." He said the 18th package of sanctions, once approved, would be "much bigger in its direct impact." "If we shrink Russia's economy, it will be less able to finance war," Ursulskis said. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys has welcomed Donald Trump's shifting stance towards Russia, saying "there is still a dance for two with the US." On Monday, Trump announced he would be imposing tariffs and sanctions on Russia and its trading partners unless a ceasefire in Ukraine is reached within 50 days. Budrys said the EU needs "to sync with the Americans and their timeline," calling Trump's deadline a "signal for Europe to prepare itself" in case the sanctions and tariffs do take effect. He pointed out that there are still EU member states that rely on oil from Russia. While the ministers are hoping to agree on a proposed 18th round of sanctions against Russia's energy and financial sectors, Budrys said the bloc should already "start preparing a 19th package." Despite the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to change his approach to the war, Budrys insisted that the sanctions "are effective." "Putin has to react when sanctions packages come along," the Lithuanian minister said, adding that "they have secondary effects" and are a factor "Putin listens to."

Syrian Druze Say Govt Mission Of Peace Devolved Into Rampage
Syrian Druze Say Govt Mission Of Peace Devolved Into Rampage

Int'l Business Times

time6 hours ago

  • Int'l Business Times

Syrian Druze Say Govt Mission Of Peace Devolved Into Rampage

The mainly Druze residents of the Syrian city of Sweida had hoped the arrival of government forces on Tuesday would spell an end to deadly sectarian clashes with local Bedouin tribes. Instead they spoke of executions, looting and arson as government troops and their allies rampaged through Druze neighbourhoods, prompting thousands from the religious minority to flee. "Government forces entered the city on the pretext of restoring order... but unfortunately they indulged in savage practices," said Rayan Maarouf, editor in chief of the Suwayda 24 news website. "There have been cases of civilians being killed... dozens of them... but we don't have precise figures," he added, blaming government fighters and their allies. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, government forces executed 12 civilians in a guesthouse in the city, in just one incident among many said to have taken place in the area. Syria's defence minister had declared a "complete ceasefire" in the city late Tuesday morning, but locals said the announcement had little effect on the ground. An AFP correspondent who entered Sweida shortly after government forces reported dead bodies left lying on deserted streets as sporadic gunfire rang out. "I'm in the centre of Sweida. There are executions, houses and shops that have been torched, and robberies and looting," one Sweida resident holed up in his home told AFP by phone. "One of my friends who lives in the west of the city told me that they entered his home, chased out his family after taking their mobile phones and then set fire to it," added the resident, who asked not to be identified for fear of retribution. AFP correspondents saw smoke rising over several areas of the city of some 150,000 people. Another resident said he had seen armed men in civilian clothes "looting shops and setting fire to them". "They're firing indiscriminately, I am afraid to leave the house," he said, adding that he regretted "not leaving before they arrived". It is a scenario that has played out multiple times since the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad by Islamist rebels in December. In each case, former rebels recruited into the new Syrian army were joined by fighters without any clear uniform, and violence against civilians ensued. The worst episode was in March, when more than 1,700 civilians were killed along Syria's Mediterranean coast -- most of them members of the ousted president's Alawite community -- in attacks carried out by government forces and their allies. On Tuesday, government forces entered Sweida with the stated aim of ending the sectarian violence that had claimed more than 100 lives earlier this week. But the Observatory, Druze leaders and witnesses said they entered the city accompanied by Bedouin fighters, and joined with them in attacking the Druze. One AFP video showed Bedouin fighters riding through the streets on a government tank, brandishing their weapons in celebration. The fighters toppled several statues in public squares, AFP images showed. Hardline Islamists believe such representations of the human form to be idolatrous. Unverified video footage circulating on social media showed armed men forcibly shaving off the moustache of an elderly Druze, a grave insult in the community. The Israeli military said it had carried out several air strikes on the forces that entered Sweida. An AFP correspondent saw one Syrian army vehicle in the city centre that had taken a direct hit. Several bodies were left dangling over its sides. The Israeli military said it was acting to protect the Druze, although some analysts have said that was a pretext for pursuing its own military goals. Thousands of the city's residents fled, seeking safety nearer the Jordanian border, Maarouf said. In the nearby village of Walgha, an AFP correspondent found a group of displaced civilians sheltering in a mosque. Syria's security forces and their allies were accused of going on a rampage after being deployed to the mainly Druze city of Sweida AFP Some residents reported houses and shops torched as government forces and their allies entered town AFP

Hungary: Orban's new hate campaign against Ukraine – DW – 07/15/2025
Hungary: Orban's new hate campaign against Ukraine – DW – 07/15/2025

DW

time7 hours ago

  • DW

Hungary: Orban's new hate campaign against Ukraine – DW – 07/15/2025

After an ethnic Hungarian conscript died in unexplained circumstances in Ukraine, Hungary's leader has renewed his campaign against the neighboring country. DW's research shows he has been spreading falsified videos. Hungary has only just concluded a months-long campaign against Ukraine aimed at blocking it from joining the EU. The autocratic prime minister, Viktor Orban, and his political apparatus have been portraying their neighboring country as a mafia state, overrun with hordes of dangerous criminals who would rob, kidnap, and kill Hungarian people. If people thought this was the nadir of Orban's anti-Ukraine propaganda, they are in for a disappointment. The Hungarian leadership is portraying the death of a recruit of Hungarian origin in Ukraine on July 6 as an attack on the Hungarian nation as a whole, declaring Ukraine to be a sort of evil empire. And he's taking this stance, even though the circumstances of the man's death are not clear. Orban has claimed that "a Hungarian citizen was beaten to death in Ukraine." With no proof whatsoever, he is accusing Ukraine and the EU of covering up this supposed crime. He published a post on Facebook, on a black background, that read: "The truth cannot be silenced!" Pro-government Hungarian media have published hundreds of highly emotional articles about the conscript's death. Sandor Fegyir, Ukraine's ambassador to Budapest, was summoned — an unequivocal sign of anger in diplomatic circles. Hundreds of furious people, led by Orban's chief propagandist, Zsolt Bayer, demonstrated outside the Ukrainian embassy in the Hungarian capital. In a letter to the dead man's parents, the Hungarian president, Tamas Sulyok, wrote that he was "utterly horrified" by what he had heard about the circumstances leading to their son's death. "Such a thing cannot happen in Europe," he said, adding that it "completely contradicts all human values" represented by European nations. So what actually happened? The man in question was a 45-year-old named Jozsef Sebestyen from the city of Berehove in the Transcarpathian region of Ukraine, home to almost 100,000 ethnic Hungarians. Berehove itself, just a few kilometers from the border with Hungary, has a population of 23,000, and around half are ethnic Hungarians. Sebestyen ran a guesthouse, and, like many ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia, he had both Ukrainian and Hungarian citizenship. Like most Ukrainian citizens of fighting age, he was registered with the Ukrainian military administration (TZK) after the outbreak of full-scale war in February 2022. In mid-June of this year, he was stopped by TZK personnel at a roadside checkpoint in Berehove. Sebestyen was mobilized, declared fit for military service, and sent for basic training. On July 6, he died in a psychiatric clinic in Berehove. Those are the verified facts. As far as all other aspects of the case are concerned, accounts differ widely, and have not been verified. On July 9, the Hungarian pro-government portal Mandiner published a report that claimed Jozsef Sebestyen had been beaten with iron bars, so badly that he subsequently died of his injuries. The report cited and was based on a Facebook post by Sebestyen's sister Marta. However, this post either does not exist, or has been deleted. DW reached out to Marta Sebestyen, but she did not reply. We also contacted the editors of Mandiner, whose response was to publish an article declaring that they would not allow the issue to be "trivialized." After this, Mandiner also published videos that it said showed Jozsef Sebestyen after he was physically abused. In one video, he is seen kneeling in a field with paramedics and people in military uniform asking him questions. He has no visible injuries. After a while, he lets himself fall onto the grass. Two other videos show him crawling on all fours, on terrain that could be a training camp. He appears exhausted and confused. The videos do not show or indicate that he was subjected to violence. It is not clear who filmed these videos. Nonetheless, they have been circulated all over Hungary and shown repeatedly in pro-government media, including the news programs of the public-service broadcaster MTVA, as supposed evidence of the brutality of the Ukrainian military. Reports by the MTVA news program Hirado also include a video of a man in a hospital, probably in intensive care. Captions on the video say it shows Sebestyen "in hospital shortly before his death," which was on July 6. However, DW has established that the video was first published on a Ukrainian Telegram channel on May 22, 2025. The owner of this channel, Vitaliy Glagola, has told DW that the video shows a different man, and that it is being misused by the Hungarian media. This video has also been posted by Viktor Orban on his TikTok and social media accounts. The news program Hirado has also misused a second video taken from Glagola's channel. This too was published on May 22, well before Sebestyen was mobilized. At the time of writing, neither the broadcaster MTVA nor the Hungarian office for government communication has responded to DW's written enquiries. In a statement dated July 10, 2025, the leadership of the Ukrainian land forces denied abusing Sebestyen in any way. The statement says he was brought to a training unit on June 15, 2025, and that he deserted three days later. It says he presented at the district hospital in Berehove on June 24, feeling unwell, and was transferred from there to a psychiatric hospital, where he died of a pulmonary embolism on July 6, "with no sign of any injuries indicative of violence." The Ukrainian foreign ministry accuses Hungary of exploiting the Sebestyen case in a "manipulative manner and for political purposes." Indeed, Viktor Orban not only claims that "a Hungarian was beaten to death in Ukraine" — he goes on to assert that "such a country cannot be allowed to become an EU member." It is a continuation of his campaign to prevent Ukraine from joining the EU. So far, though, despite intense propaganda, this has been only moderately successful. But the Sebestyen case is different. Many Hungarians are very emotionally invested in the concerns of ethnic Hungarians in neighboring countries. Orban's regime has revived the issue of the "Trianon trauma" — a taboo subject for many years. It's one that has resonated strongly with the people. Hungary lost two-thirds of its territory and population under the terms of the Treaty of Trianon, which was signed after World War One, in 1920. These days, around two million ethnic Hungarians live in neighboring countries. Many Hungarians have been shocked and dismayed by the death of Jozsef Sebestyen. However, many are also starting to weary of Viktor Orban. It remains to be seen whether his latest campaign will change that.

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