Thursday, August 16, 2012

Holocaust Survivors yet again, see justice denied

From the Australian Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors & Descendants, 16 August 2012, by Anna Berger, President:

The decision by the Australian High Court not to extradite Charles Zentai is deeply disappointing and disturbing.
A properly constituted judiciary in post Holocaust Hungary found that this man had a case to answer and has been attempting to have him do so for decades. The judgement not to comply with Hungary’s extradition request seems to rest on an odd interpretation of a point of law, without any semblance of justice.
Among its potentially unwanted and unexpected consequences are the message of comfort to other possible war criminals that Australia is a safe haven while ironically denying Zentai himself the opportunity of proving his claims of innocence.
Sadly, for Holocaust Survivors, now frail and elderly, who have for 6 decades and more been proud Australian citizens, today’s announcement is deeply hurtful. For them, this has opened old wounds and reminded them of a time when they were denied the very semblance of human rights and dignity. Yet again, they see justice denied.

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