Hungarian man dies after alleged beating by Ukraine conscription officers: Orbán reacts, ambassador summoned

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has expressed his condolences to the family of a Hungarian citizen from Ukraine’s Transcarpathian region who reportedly died after being severely beaten by Ukrainian military conscription officers. The incident has prompted a strong diplomatic reaction from Budapest, including the summoning of Ukraine’s ambassador.

“I offer my sincere condolences to the family of the Hungarian man who died as a result of Ukrainian forced military conscription,” Orbán wrote on Facebook on Thursday. “We stand with you in these difficult hours.”

The case came to light through a report by Mandiner and was confirmed by the Hungarian public broadcaster Hirado.hu. According to their information, the victim was Sebestyén József, a 45-year-old ethnic Hungarian man from Transcarpathia. He allegedly succumbed to injuries in the hospital on 6 July, three weeks after the assault reportedly took place during a conscription procedure.

Hungarian authorities say the man was beaten with iron rods by Ukrainian recruitment officers. The victim’s brother is said to have reported the details of the incident.