Hungary's right-wing government has banned individuals under 18 from visiting this year's World Press Photo exhibition in Budapest due to the inclusion of photos deemed to violate a law restricting LGBTQ content. The exhibition, held at Hungary's National Museum, attracts over four million visitors annually and aims to bring global attention to important events through outstanding photojournalism. The controversy arose when a set of photos by Filipino photojournalist Hannah Reyes Morales caught the attention of a far-right lawmaker who lodged a complaint with the cultural ministry.

The ministry ruled that the photos breached the law, leading to the ban on minors attending the exhibition, even with parental consent. The photos depict a community of elderly LGBTQ individuals in the Philippines who have shared a home and supported each other over the years. Despite the exhibition's positive and inclusive nature, the decision to limit access has shocked the executive director of World Press Photo, Joumana El Zein Khoury. This marks the first instance of censorship targeting the exhibition in Europe. Tamas Revesz, the former World Press Photo jury member who organizes Hungary's exhibitions, argued that many other photographs in the exhibition are more serious and shocking than Morales' series.

The ban will prevent thousands of Hungarian youth from experiencing the collection, including images that do not feature LGBTQ content. The government's move follows a trend to restrict materials promoting or depicting homosexuality to minors in various forms of media. Hungary's 2021 "child protection law" has faced legal action from 15 EU countries, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemning it. Reyes Morales, the photographer, emphasized that the subjects in her photos serve as icons and role models for the LGBTQ community in the Philippines and are not harmful. Despite criticism, Hungary's cultural ministry has not responded to interview requests.