A bookstore chain in Hungary has now been fined around 32,000 euros for violating the so-called Child Protection Act. “This is the largest fine ever imposed on a book retailer in Hungary,” Krisztián Nyáry, creative director of Lira book distribution, said Friday.
Specifically, it concerns the children’s comic book “Heartstopper” by Alice Oseman, of which Lira has a Hungarian translation to offer. The book, recommended for young people from the age of 14, is about two teenage boys who fall in love. According to the Budapest government office, the comic books could be found in bookstores in the youth sections and were also not wrapped in foil.
“Advertising” for homosexuality and transsexuality prohibited
However, the said law prohibits “advertising” homosexuality and transsexualism or sex reassignment surgery aimed at young people. This also applies to books or films on this subject. They should be labeled “Prohibited for Under 18s” and movies should no longer be broadcast in prime time. In bookstores, corresponding works may not be advertised in the children’s and youth sections. In addition, they must be wrapped in foil so that you cannot flip through them.
Lira will challenge the fine by all legal means, Nyáry told the German news agency. To date, no LGBTQI-themed books have been sold separately and packaged in foil. “We considered this law with its general provisions to be inapplicable,” Nyáry said. “Nothing happened for two years.”
EU infringement procedure against Hungary
The EU Commission took Hungary to the European Court of Justice at the end of last year because of the anti-gay law. She sees, among other things, the information rights of young people being curtailed, which would be contrary to the fundamental rights of the EU.
Source: Krone
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