Hungarian journalists demand access to hospitals, COVID centres
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Dozens of independent Hungarian news outlets published an open letter on Wednesday asking Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government to end restrictions on reporting on the health system during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government has said only state media are allowed into hospitals and vaccination centres, but has denied restricting reporting. A government spokesman did not immediately reply to an email seeking further comment on Wednesday.
The news outlets said they were barred from speaking to medics.
Calls are regularly referred to the health ministry.
“Doctors and nurses are not free to talk to the public, while journalists are not allowed in hospitals, so we cannot assess what happens there,” read the letter published in 28 independent newspapers, websites and other outlets.
Hungary has had the world’s highest daily per capita deaths in recent weeks
as the pandemic reaches an overstretched health care sector, despite a vaccination campaign that has reached a fifth of the population, among Europe’s highest rates.
There is no free press here. Hungary now stands at number 89 in the press freedom index, was at 87 two years ago. China stands at 177, so if that’s what the government is hoping to aspire to …….
Wind of change, in Orbán’s eyes China is far too liberal in terms of press. I’d bet his model is North Korea.
Ah in that case just three more places on. North Korea is at 180. Nothing more after that!
You’re right. With North Korea on 180, he’d only have three more places to go! There’s nothing listed after that!