Charles Zentai, the 88-yr-old Perth man currently in jail
awaiting extradition to Hungary to face questions relating
to the 1944 murder of an 18-year-old Jew, will have his
bail application heard in court next week…but the Federal
Government is opposing it.
Hoping to have his father home for Christmas, Ernie Steiner told J-Wire that
the Hungarian Government was opposing bail.
However, Zentai’s lawyer, Dennis Barich,
told J-Wire this morning: “The bail application has nothing
to to with the Hungarians. This is a matter for the Federal
Court here and we have been informed that the Minister for
Home Affairs’s department will oppose bail. Perhaps they
have had talks with the Hungarians but that would be conjecture
and we would not be privy to such information.”
He added: “However, my client is wanted
only for questioning. It would make more sense to me that
the Hungarians would come to Perth and question him here.”
Steiner said that he still firmly believed his father is innocent. He took issue
with a statement made by Brendan O’Connor last month in which
the Minister said.
“My decision is not one of determining Mr Zentai’s guilt or innocence. It was
about deciding whether or not Mr Zentai should be surrendered
to Hungary in accordance withAustralia’s extradition legislation
and its international obligations. These obligations reflect
Australia’s crime cooperation responsibilities to other nations
around the globe.”
“The considered and methodical application of the Extradition
Act ensures that Australia is not a haven for alleged criminals.
It also ensures we cooperate effectively, on matters of
justice, with countries around the world.”
Steiner believes this belies the basic principle of being
innocent until proved guilty.
He added: “My first point of concern is that the Minister
has made a decision to place a citizen in custody and transport
him to another country without making any determination
of ”guilt or innocence”. I believe our system needs to
protect our citizens and at the very least the Minister
needs to analyse the evidence and determine whether or
not there is a case to answer. I believe that if on the
balance of probabilities that evidence could deliver a
guilty verdict under our judicial system then and only
then should extradition be approved. If this process is
not a component of the Extradition Act then I think it
is a major flaw and a failing of the Governments duty of
care to its citizens. Are we to be the servants to every
country that asks for the extradition of one of our citizens?
Spain certainly wasn’t when Australia requested the extradition
of Christopher Skase.
My second point of concern is that the Minister believes that our ”international
obligations” to Hungary over-rides my expectation that Australia
is obligated to guard the rights of her citizens under every
circumstance before she agrees to surrender a citizen to
the fate of any other nation. I would also expect Australia
to help me and all of her citizens should they find themselves
requiring assistance anywhere in the world. Again it seems
that our Extradition Act has removed any duty of care to
Australian citizens, perhaps another failing, or is it Mr
O’Connor’s interpretation? I believe we are a nation in our
own right and not one that is obligated to any other nation.
My third point of concern is the statement “that Australia is not a haven for
alleged criminals”. I agree that Australia should not be
a haven for Criminals but since when did we not accept ALLEGED
CRIMINALS? Some foreign governments allege the Dalai Lama
is a criminal.
That’s right; back to my first line
“the current Federal Government does not believe in the concept
of innocent until proven guilty”.
I will not vote for any party that
adheres to, or supports, the concept of “Guilty until proven
innocent” or that hasn’t got the courage to stand up for
their citizens and principles.
I expect strong leaders and not leaders
who do not protect our rights and values against foreign
governments or pressure groups and leave citizens such as
this 88 year old in a maximum security prison without assessing
any evidence whatsoever.”
Charles Zentai is wanted for questioning by the Hungarian Government over the
torture and death of 18-yr-old Peter Balzs, pulled from a
tram for not wearing the mandatory Star of David [he was
under Swiss protection], dragged to an army barracks andbeaten
until he died. Papers in J-Wire’s possession indicate that
other prisoners were forced to watch the beatings.
His lawyers are preparing two appeals…one to review the Minister’s
decision and the other to grant bail. The bail hearing
is scheduled for December 16.
Dennis Barich told J-Wire: “I do not
believe my client was a member of the Nazi Party and we think
we have a strong case to overturn the Minister’s decision.”
J-Wire spoke to Brendan O’Connor’s office and was told he
is overseas.
jwire.com.au
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