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GROTESQUE PARODY OF JUSTICE
Witch-hunt
victim hauled
In a grotesque parody of justice, an aged and ailing Latvian emigré is being literally hounded to his grave. He is one of thousands of Baltic and other Eastern European veterans of World War II whose only crime was that they happened to have fought on the "wrong" side—i.e., AGAINST Communism. The concocted charges against this man, as with all the others, are based solely on the suspect testimony of those with a special ethnic penchant for perjury, as part of a broader campaign to extract political and financial concessions through moral extortion. For its part, the Latvian government—like the other Baltic states seeking entry into the European Union—is quite willing to sacrifice one of its former citizens as the price for membership in this new political configuration.
Kalejs
excused from court MELBOURNE (AAP)—Accused Nazi war criminal Konrads Kalejs has been excused from attending an appeal hearing after he was wheeled into the Federal Court on a stretcher. Lawyers for the frail and bedridden 88-year-old today began a challenge to a Victorian magistrate's ruling in May this year that Kalejs was "eligible for surrender" to Latvia to face charges of genocide and war crimes. After Kalejs was brought into the court room accompanied by ambulance officers, lawyer Brian Walters asked that his client be excused for the rest of the hearing and only return for the decision. Justice Susan Kenny agreed, saying Kalejs should be taken "to a more comfortable and appropriate place." Kalejs remained motionless, with his eyes closed, and appeared oblivious to the discussion around him. He is suffering from dementia and cancer as well as being almost deaf and legally blind and is unable to follow the proceedings, his lawyers have said previously. Kalejs is alleged to have commanded a guard unit at a labor camp near Riga where prisoners were shot during World War II. It is also alleged that he knew that 300 Jewish prisoners at the camp were earmarked for death. Today his lawyers appealed the decision to extradite Kalejs on technical grounds, saying the Latvian documents requesting the extradition were not properly authenticated and the allegations against him were vague and confused. They also argued that a 1924 extradition treaty with Latvia was still in force. Under the 1924 treaty Latvia should have supplied evidence of Kalejs' alleged crimes to establish at least a prima facie case against him. When the hearing continues tomorrow, Mr. Walters will argue Kalejs' extradition has been sought because of his "imputed political opinion" and any trial in Latvia would be prejudiced. NEVER FORGET! |
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