The defence cited grim reports of “white torture” in Hungarian prisons, including permanent solitary confinement and 24-hour surveillance

~ Alisa-Ece Tohumcu ~

After five months in Fresnes Prison, Rexhino “Gino” Abazaj, a 32-year-old Albanian anti-fascist activist, was released under judicial supervision yesterday (26 March). Arrested in Montreuil in November 2024, he faces up to 24 years in prison if extradited to Hungary for alleged violence against neo-Nazis. His case, which has sparked a widespread mobilisation from activists, unions, and politicians, will be decided by the Paris Court of Appeal on April 9.

Gino’s arrest stems from his alleged involvement in clashes during the far right “Day of Honour” gathering in Budapest in 2023. Seventeen other anti-fascists have been arrested in the case, including Italian MEP Ilaria Salis who spent 15 months in pre-trial detention, and Maja T who was extradited to Hungary last year. In January, seven anti-fascists wanted in the case turned themselves in.

During yesterday’s hearing, prosecutors questioned the feasibility of house arrest due to issues with Gino’s housing documentation. However, his legal team defended the arrangement and presented a job offer as further proof of stability. Gino himself addressed the court, expressing the strength of his support network.  After deliberation, the court ruled in his favour, granting release without electronic monitoring.

While Hungarian authorities accuse anti-fascists of participating in a “criminal organisation” and committing violent acts., neo-Nazi participants in the same clashes were released without prosecution. Hungary’s vague assurances about detention conditions and trial fairness have also drawn sharp criticism. The defence cited grim reports of “white torture” in Hungarian prisons, including permanent solitary confinement and 24-hour surveillance. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture has documented overcrowding, inhumane conditions, and systemic abuse.

Hungary’s judiciary, weakened under Viktor Orbán’s rule, faces mounting EU criticism. The 2016 dismissal of a judge who criticised judicial reforms and ongoing protests by Hungarian magistrates highlight deep concerns about political interference in legal processes. “There is an obvious lack of separation of powers,” Gino’s lawyers argued, adding that France must not become complicit in an unfair political prosecution.

“The charges are disproportionate. The process is unfair. The risks are real,” declared the Committee for the Liberation of Gino. “France must refuse this extradition.” Outside the courthouse, supporters repeated the chant: “Free Gino! Free Maja! Free all antifas!”