Police detain brother of Hungary’s ex-PM Orban

Hungarian police took nationalist ex-leader Viktor Orban’s brother into custody on Monday, according to a press report shared by Prime Minister Peter Magyar.

Pro-EU conservative Magyar won a landslide election victory in April to end 16 years in power for Orban, promising to investigate alleged corruption and abuse of office during his rival’s rule.

“According to press reports, Viktor Orban’s brother, Aron Orban, has been taken into custody on suspicion of human trafficking,” Magyar wrote on social media.

The original report comes from Kontroll, a news site owned by Magyar’s brother Marton Magyar.

Former premier Orban called the detention a “dirty game”, accusing the government of trying to eliminate its political opponents.

“I am the target; my brother is merely a tool,” he wrote on social media.

Hungary’s Orban concedes election defeat

Like other members of the Orban family, Aron Orban built several successful business ventures during his brother’s time in power.

Last year, investigative journalists linked one of his companies to an alleged visa facilitation scheme that offered preferential access to Hungarian work visas for foreigners.

Police said “several people have been taken into custody” in Budapest and in two towns in the surrounding Pest County in an operation carried out in connection with human trafficking.

“Searches are currently under way at the homes of those under investigation,” the statement said.

“We expect to provide further updates this afternoon regarding the details of the offences and the investigative measures carried out today,” it added.

The joint operation was carried out by the National Bureau of Investigation and the National Asset Recovery and Protection Agency (NVVH), an anti-corruption body with sweeping powers established as part of Magyar’s accountability drive.

In September, NVVH took over four investigations, including one related to influence-peddling that could involve Aron Orban, according to local media.

That case centres on an illicit group that allegedly promised to bypass standard administrative procedures to grant visas to foreign nationals in exchange for money.

Several investigations have gained momentum since Orban lost power.

Three former ministers are in custody, including former central bank governor Gyorgy Matolcsy, whom Orban once called his “right-hand” man.