Petra Laszlo: Hungarian Camerawoman Accused Of Kicking Syrian Refugees Indicted On Criminal Charges

Petra Laszlo, a Hungarian camerawoman, is accused of kicking and tripping Syrian refugees and migrants during a September 2015 N1TV broadcast in Roszke, Hungary. Although she apologized for her behavior, Laszlo received stark criticism via social media and was fired from her job. She is now facing criminal charges and could spend time in prison if convicted.

NPR reports the incident occurred in an open field near the Hungary-Serbia border. As the area is heavily traveled by Syrian refugees and migrants, television crews were on scene documenting their journey.

The refugees and migrants were initially separated from the television crews by a line of police officers. However, they eventually broke free and began running toward the journalists.

Hungary Indicts Camerawoman Accused Of Kicking Migrants #Hungary #PetraLaszlo https://t.co/tsUWAZZlj9 pic.twitter.com/d4Hbk8jcYg

— knkx public radio (@knkxfm) September 7, 2016

According to witness reports, the Hungarian camerawoman “stuck her leg out” in an apparent attempt to kick or trip several Syrian refugees, including a little girl and a man.

It is unclear whether Petra Laszlo’s foot actually made contact with the man. However, Osama Abdul Mohsen, who was carrying his 8-year-old son in his arms, was somehow knocked to the ground.

Footage of the incident, which was recorded by German television journalist Stephan Richter, was posted to social media. Within days, the video went viral, and the Hungarian camerawoman was thrust into the center of a heated controversy.

Petra Laszlo has vehemently denied reports that she intentionally tripped Osama Abdul Mohsen. As reported by NPR, the Hungarian camerawoman said she simply “panicked” when hundreds of Syrian refugees and migrants began running in her direction. She also claims she was unaware Mohsen was carrying a child in his arms.

Although she apologized for the incident, Petra was terminated from her position with N1TV. The camerawoman was also subjected to harsh criticism and even death threats via social media.

Nearly one year later, Laszlo was indicted on criminal charges of breaching the peace. As reported by Independent, the Hungarian camerawoman faces prison time if convicted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV4Hon8WR-U

According to the indictment, Petra Laszlo “kicked a young man in the shin with a swift kick of the sole of her right foot, and also kicked a young girl around the knee with her right foot.”

Although she is accused of kicking the man and a young girl, the Hungarian camerawoman will not be charged with a hate crime. Prosecutors have determined she was not “motivated by ethnic considerations or by the migrant status of the victims.”

Following the incident, Osama Abdul Mohsen and his family settled in Spain, where he was hired as a soccer coach. However, his life has not been free from controversy.

As reported by RT, the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party claimed Mohsen is a member of the Al-Nusra Front, which is reportedly linked with Al-Qaeda and has been implicated in several violent crimes against civilians.

Remember when Petra Laszlo tried to stop the #marchforeurope pic.twitter.com/koStdmap3G

— Alfred Albion™ (@AfredAlbion) September 3, 2016

When questioned about the allegations, Osama Abdul Mohsen said he was wrongly accused of involvement with the Al-Nusra Front due to a misunderstanding over a Facebook post.

Petra Laszlo’s trial is scheduled to begin before the end of the year. If convicted of breaching the peace, the Hungarian camerawoman is facing up to two years in prison.

If she is not sentenced to prison, Petra and her family are considering moving to Russia.

“Once the court is over, we’re going to move to another country… We consider starting to learn Russian. It is important for us to leave Hungary. We’ll make the decision once the trial is over.”

Although the debate is certain to continue, Petra Laszlo contends her actions were not as cruel as they appear. The Hungarian camerawoman insists it was simply a natural response to an intense situation.

[Image via Thomas Koch / Shutterstock]