Controversy Erupts Over Ukrainian Conscription Following Death of Dual Citizen

The recent death of Jozsef Sebestyen, an ethnic Hungarian conscript in Ukraine, has triggered a diplomatic dispute between Hungary and Ukraine. Reports of severe treatment during his conscription raise alarms about human rights practices in the wartime military regime, putting further strain on an already volatile relationship between the two nations.

The death of a 45-year-old ethnic Hungarian man, Jozsef Sebestyen, after being conscripted into the Ukrainian military has sparked significant diplomatic tensions between Hungary and Ukraine. Sebestyen, a dual citizen, reportedly suffered brutal treatment after his conscription on June 14, leading to his death in a psychiatric hospital on July 8, according to accounts from his siblings.

Eyewitness accounts detail a harrowing experience, where Sebestyen claimed he was subjected to beatings with iron bars and threats from military officials. “They took me to a forest with many other men and started beating me there,” he reportedly told his family. The military has publicly denied these allegations, asserting that no physical injuries were found upon his medical examination and welcoming a transparent investigation into the circumstances of his death.

On July 10, Hungary's Foreign Ministry summoned Ukrainian Ambassador Sandor Fegyir to demand answers regarding the case. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban fiercely criticized the situation, emphasizing that a country permitting such incidents should not be part of the EU. This statement illustrates the deteriorating relations between Budapest and Kyiv, previously exacerbated by spy allegations and diplomatic expulsions earlier this year.

The story of Sebestyen is part of a larger narrative concerning Ukraine's controversial conscription practices, with many young men forcibly recruited amid the ongoing war. Reports from the region describe a climate of fear, with armed conscription squads targeting men, while those bearing medical exemptions often find their documentation ignored, facing abduction instead.

Critics of the Ukrainian government, including journalists, have also raised concerns that they are being targeted for conscription. Reports indicate that over 3,500 complaints related to human rights violations during the conscription process were filed with the Ukrainian ombudsman’s office in 2024 alone.

As Ukraine continues to grapple with military mobilization, observers and human rights activists are calling for a reassessment of conscription practices, especially regarding the rights of dual nationals like Sebestyen. The erosion of the right to conscientious objection instated during martial law in February 2022 lacks adequate alternatives for individuals opposed to military service.

This tragic event underscores the dire state of humanitarian conditions within the Ukrainian conscription system while simultaneously highlighting the growing rift in Hungarian-Ukrainian relations amid the tumultuous backdrop of the ongoing conflict with Russia.