Hungarian President Katalin Novak resigns after pardoning man convicted of horrible crimes

Hungarian President Katalin Novak announced her resignation during a nationally televised speech on Saturday.

Novak stated during the address, "I decided to grant a pardon last April, believing that the convict did not exploit the vulnerability of the children whom he had overseen."

Thousands of Hungarians took to the streets to protest Novak's decision to issue a pardon to a man who was convicted of assisting with the cover-up of crimes against children. He was serving a three-year sentence for his role in the crime.

Novak became the first woman to hold the largely ceremonial role of Hungarian president and was a close ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

The departing official finished her address by issuing a sincere apology, "To those whom I may have offended and to all the victims who might have felt that I did not stand up for them."

Her resignation was appropriate and sent a strong message that there is no place in civilized society for those who mistreat and abuse children or the people who help them.