Brother of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrested in human trafficking case

Hungarian authorities have arrested Aaron Orban, the brother of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, during an investigation into human trafficking. Current Prime Minister Peter Magyar confirmed this information while delivering a speech in Berlin, the capital of Germany. According to reports by Hindustan Times and The Guardian, this arrest has been made as part of an ongoing investigation into people-smuggling in the country.

Hungary's anti-graft agency, known as the National Asset Protection and Recovery Office, stated in a release that a total of 4 people were arrested during a joint operation with the police. During this action, several houses located in Budapest and Pest County were searched. Although the National Asset Protection and Recovery Office and the police did not disclose the names of the suspects in their official statements, Prime Minister Peter Magyar clarified that the arrests include Viktor Orban's 49-year-old brother and businessman, Aaron Orban.

During his speech in Berlin, Peter Magyar further stated, "Three former ministers of Orban are already in custody. Today, his brother has also gone into custody." This arrest comes at a time when investigations are underway into alleged corruption during the former Prime Minister's 16-year rule in Hungary. Peter Magyar came to power by defeating Viktor Orban in the April elections. After assuming office, he launched a major campaign against corruption, which he named "Operation Purgatory".

According to a police statement, the four arrested individuals (one woman and three men) are accused of helping Vietnamese citizens reach Western Europe during several months of 2024. The investigation revealed that these individuals took money from visa applicants at Hungarian foreign missions in Vietnam as so-called 'recruitment fees', which were later distributed among them. According to authorities, over 100 Vietnamese citizens were helped in obtaining visas. Police say that these four individuals carried out human trafficking as part of a criminal conspiracy for financial gain. It is also alleged that one suspect used political influence (influence peddling) to obtain visas during this process.

Reacting to the incident, former Prime Minister Viktor Orban described the arrest as "political revenge" and a "political witch-hunt" on Facebook and social media. He wrote, "The objective of this dirty game is to eliminate political opponents and establish a one-party system. I am the real target; my younger brother is merely a tool." Viktor Orban, who is still the president of his right-wing nationalist Fidesz party, has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

The National Asset Protection and Recovery Office, established by Peter Magyar, is an independent body aimed at uncovering past misuse of public funds and preventing such incidents in the future. Magyar has claimed that corruption and misuse of public funds in recent years may have caused a loss of nearly 10% of Hungary's GDP. In September, the agency stated that cases of selling political contacts to obtain residence permits for employment are on their priority investigation list.

Apart from this case, action is being taken against other high-ranking officials associated with Viktor Orban's tenure. Two former ministers of Orban's government and the former head of the Central Bank, Gyorgy Matolcsy, are currently in detention under various corruption charges. All these individuals have denied the charges against them. Aaron Orban's lawyer declined to comment when speaking with The Guardian, but referring to previous interviews given to Hungarian media, stated that there is no basis for this arrest.

Viktor Orban was the former Prime Minister of Hungary who ruled the country for 16 years. During his tenure, Hungary slid down the list of the most corrupt countries in the European Union.