Zentai seeks funds
by J-Wire Staff |
88-yr-0ld Charles Zentai, facing extradition to Hungary to
be questioned over the 1944 murder of Jewish youth Peter
Balazs, is seeking funds to cover his legal costs.Zentai’s
legal team will challenge the Attorney General’s department
in the Federal Court in Perth next month over claimed withholding
of information. Zentai’s son, Ernie Steiner, has issued
a statement in which he says: “The Minister [Brendan O'Conner,
the Minister for Home Affairs] chose to ignore the full
extent of the submissions put to him in defence of Charles
Zentai and instead relied on contentious summary statements
and advice from his Department. This effectively denied
Charles Zentai of his first opportunity after nearly five
years to have arguments relating to his innocence considered
in Australia. Mr Zentai will rightfully challenge the Minister’s
decision in the Federal Court. Additionally, the Attorney
General’s Department is refusing to reveal information
it gave to the Minister prior to his decision to extradite.
The Department has selectively made some parts of the summary advice available to Charles Zentai’s
legal team but it has blacked out large sections of its
documents and is refusing to provide unredacted copies
under legal privilege. This withholding of information
and secrecy will also be challenged in the Federal Court
on March 5 prior to the Appeal hearing on March 31, 2010.”
The No Extradition Foundation has been established to raise funds for Zenta’s
defence.
Hungarian authorities want to question
Zentai about the Balazs murder. The Jewish youth was pulled
off a Budapest tram and dragged to a nearby army barracks
where three men beat him slowly to death in front of other
prisoners. His body was then dumped in the Danube.
jwire.com
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