The Debrecen Court delivered its verdict in the case of four defendants who, while serving in the medical unit of the Tiszalök prison between late 2021 and November 2022, severely violated their professional and official duties.
According to the indictment, the first defendant worked as a doctor, the second as a supervisor, and the third as a chief clerk in the prison’s medical unit. The three defendants agreed that, to discipline inmates exhibiting rebellious or self-harming behavior, they would use disinfectant mixed with chili pepper during the treatment of open wounds. The aim was to prevent frequently complaining inmates from increasing the workload of the medical unit.
The established facts show that chili powder was mixed into the disinfectant, which was then labeled “for medical use only” and hidden in the supervisor’s office. The doctor subsequently conducted multiple examinations on inmates using gloves disinfected with the chili solution or catheters sprayed with it, causing severe pain. In another case, after treating a wound resulting from an assault, the doctor allegedly instructed an inmate to open his mouth and sprayed chili solution inside.
The fourth defendant became aware of the use of the substance but failed to report it to their superior and even destroyed related documents. This violated reporting obligations and endangered the proper functioning of the medical service.
The Debrecen Court found the first and second defendants guilty of repeated abuse committed in an official capacity and sentenced them to two and a half years in prison, three years of public service disqualification, and a five-year ban from medical practice. They may be eligible for parole after serving two-thirds of their sentence.
The fourth defendant was found guilty of violating reporting obligations and fined 540,000 forints.
The court also ordered the destruction of evidence seized during the investigation—including unknown samples containing chili powder—and ruled that the state would bear the criminal proceedings’ costs.
The verdict is not final.
