To download this media release by ECAJ President Anton Block in PDF format, click here.

The Executive Council of Aus­trali­an Jewry, the peak rep­res­ent­at­ive body of the Aus­trali­an Jewish community welcomes the decision by the Jerusalem District Court to reject Malka Leifer’s applic­a­tion to be released into home detention. The Court ruled that Leifer will remain in gaol in Israel on remand until the extra­di­tion pro­ceed­ings are concluded. Leifer is an accused sex offender. Australia has sought her extra­di­tion to face 74 charges of child sexual abuse.

Com­ment­ing on the case, ECAJ president Anton Block said “It is heart­en­ing that the court com­pletely rejected the claims made by Leifer’s lawyers that her life would be in danger and that she would suffer irre­par­able damage by staying in jail for the duration of legal pro­ceed­ings.”

“We are also deeply troubled  by grave alleg­a­tions that Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman met with Jerusalem’s district psy­chi­at­rist (Dr Jacob Charnes) to pressure him into issuing a false assess­ment for Leifer in support of her claim that she should not be extra­dited to Australia because she is unfit to stand trial due to her mental state”, Mr Block said.

“We under­stand Israel’s anti-cor­rup­tion unit is now con­duct­ing an invest­ig­a­tion into the conduct of the Deputy Health Minister. He should stand down from his position while the invest­ig­a­tion is under way.  If it is found that there is any truth to the alleg­a­tions, the Deputy Minister should be pro­sec­uted for inter­fer­ing in the admin­is­tra­tion of justice.”Mr Block also stated that in light of the alleg­a­tions about the conduct of the Deputy Health Minister, “it is under­stand­able that the court also ruled that another psy­chi­at­ric assess­ment must be under­taken to test Leifer’s claim that she is mentally unfit”.

“Rep­res­ent­at­ives of the ECAJ met on Monday with the Aus­trali­an Ambas­sad­or to Israel and again conveyed our view that the extra­di­tion of Leifer to face justice without delay is a matter of the highest concern for the Aus­trali­an Jewish community.  We are grateful to the Ambas­sad­or and to the Aus­trali­an Gov­ern­ment for the assist­ance being offered to child sexual abuse survivors”.

“We wish them continued strength and determ­in­a­tion and commend them for their valiant pursuit of justice. Their dignity in the face of delays in the extra­di­tion trial and alleg­a­tions of impro­pri­ety by various officials are a great credit to our community.”

Contact
Alex Ryvchin | Co-CEO
ph: 02 8353 8505 | m: 0478 297 245
e: [email protected] | www.ecaj.org.au