Hungarian students taken from the Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University for conscription have been released, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó announced on Wednesday.
‘We maintained continuous contact with the Transcarpathian Hungarian Cultural Association (KMKSZ) and the university’s leadership, as Ukrainian law is clear on this matter: these students are exempt from conscription,’ Szijjártó stressed.
News broke on Wednesday that four Hungarian university students had been detained at the Beregszász District Recruitment Office, despite holding valid deferments due to their studies. KMKSZ issued a statement of protest and sent a letter to the relevant Ukrainian authorities, stating that ‘under current Ukrainian law, military recruitment officers have no legal right to detain conscripts arbitrarily or without due cause.’ It added that any restriction of personal freedom, including detention, is strictly regulated by Ukrainian legislation—primarily the Constitution, the Criminal Procedure Code, and the Code of Administrative Offences.
‘Four Hungarian university students had been detained at the Beregszász District Recruitment Office’
The four students visited the local military recruitment office in compliance with their legal obligations on 4 November for data verification purposes; however, they were not allowed to leave the premises.
The KMKSZ described the incidents as deeply outrageous and announced that it would send letters to the Minister of Defence, the Human Rights Commissioner, and the Transcarpathian Regional Military Administration, calling for an immediate investigation into the unlawful actions.
‘By the evening, all the students had finally been released by the Ukrainian authorities, which is good news—but at the same time, it once again draws attention to the importance of peace. The sooner peace is achieved, the sooner these forced conscriptions will end,’ Szijjártó concluded.
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