Hegedus was charged with incitement, after having voluntarily renounced his parliamentary immunity and received a suspended 18-month sentence in December 2002. On appeal, however, the conviction was quashed on the grounds that his article did not represent incitement ("Magyar Hirlap" and "Nepszabadsag," 29 and 30 November and 2001; 10 and 19 December 2001; 17 June 2002; 7 December 2002; and 7 November 2003; "RFE/RL Newsline," 29 and 30 November 2001; 10 and 19 December 2001; 17 June 2002; 9 December 2002; 9 November 2003).