What to do

If a crime was committed against you, make a denunciation as soon as possible. This can be done personally at any police station, prosecutors office or court, in e-mail, letter or by telephone. Besides, you can make a denunciation by calling the +36 80 555 111 number of the “Telefontanú” (Telephone Witness). 

You should seek to include a detailed description of the crime, your evidences, the medical report (if applicable) and the name and contact details of the witnesses (if known) in the denunciation. 

As a victim of a crime, you are entitled to several rights in the proceeding, the most important one is being eligible to use the victim support services. By calling the Victim Support Free Telephone Number (+36 80 255 255), available 24/7, you are to receive comprehensive information and assistance and will also be informed of the contact details of Victim Support Services. If, due to a crime, you run out of money, you may apply for financial aid at the Victim Support Service within 5 days following the committal of the crime.

There are special crimes in connection with which it is especially difficult to make a denunciation for feeling ashamed or for fearing revenge, such are especially sexual delicts and violence between family members. In case of making a denunciation, the police will interview you as a witness. During the hearing they are obliged to treat you with the greatest possible consideration. You may, for example, request to be interviewed by a police officer of the same gender as you and a lawyer may also be present to assist you.

If you are not above the age of 18 yet, you can only be interviewed in presence of your parents or if you do not live together, of your guardian (for example, one of your grandparents). If, however, the aggressor is the parent or guardian, he or she cannot be present at your hearing. Should you be afraid of your attacker or aggressor, you might ask for not disclosing your personal data in the documents prepared in the proceeding. In this case, only authorities would be entitled to learn them to be able to contact you.

If a police officer checks your identity…

Besides uniformed and plainclothes police officers, officials of public safety offices of local governments, armed security guards, security guards, park rangers, hunters, fisheries enforcement officers or foresters are also entitled to check your identity. Members of the neighbourhood watch are not entitled to do so, ticket controllers may ask for documents but if the traveller does not hand them over, they cannot check identity and are to request a police officer or a member of public safety office of a local government to proceed. The legitimacy of the measure is proven by the uniform and the identification badge worn on it (in case of a uniformed police officer), a police ID with photograph and the identification badge (in case of a plainclothes police officer) and by the ID with photograph and the numbered identification badge (in case of officials of public safety offices of local governments). You may ask for these identification items during an identity check.

The police officer may check your documents to establish your identity. You may identify yourself with a valid ID, passport or a driving licence of card format. The police officer may, for establishing your identity, hold you back or if you do not identify yourself, arraign you. If your identity cannot be established by any other mean, the police officer is entitled to take your fingerprints and pictures can also be taken of you or your special identification features.

If you are checked on a public road…

Public road checks have a bifold objective. On the one hand, to check whether you are capable of and fit for driving and whether you keep the road traffic regulations and on the other hand, to check whether your vehicle is safe. By roadside checks, the police officer may also use a breathalyser. If it becomes probable that yo consumed alcohol or drugs prior to or during driving, the police officer may also oblige you to give a blood sample at a doctor. Besides, your driving licence, registration book or the licence plate of your vehicle may also be confiscated on scene in this case.

The police officer may also forbid you to take part in the traffic if your condition or that of your vehicle would endanger traffic safety. In such case, he or she may confiscate the keys of your vehicle or get your vehicle removed.