Leifer Escapes Extradition

By Henry Benjamin
J-Wire
June 3, 2016

http://www.jwire.com.au/leifer-escapes-extradition/

Malka Leifer

A psychiatric report has found wanted fugitive Malka Leifer is not mentally fit to face an Israeli court to face proceedings to extradite her to Australia.

Leifer is facing prosecution in Melbourne for 74 alleged sexual abuse offences committed when she was employed as the principal of the Adass Yisroel School. Leifer had been brought to Melbourne from Israel to fill the position. She fled to Israel in 2008 ahead of allegations.

In Jerusalem’s District Court Judge Amnon Cohen directed that Leifer must attend regular clinical psychiatric treatment without hospitalisation.

Leifer has been banned from leaving Israel and must undergo five treatments over the next six months after which a further psychiatric report will be submitted to the court. She will undergo the first treatment next week.

This process will be repeated until Leifer is deemed fit to face the court. The process has been given a ten-year period to perform the assessments.

The Prosecution has been granted 72 hours to appeal the lifting of her house arrest restrictions.

Child sexual abuse advocacy group Tzedek’s co-founder Manny Waks said: “Frankly, this is a very poor outcome – both for her many alleged victims and for the children in Israel. There is no justice for the former, and no safety for the latter. In fact, there is nothing stopping Leifer from resuming her teaching in private schools. It’s a poor indictment of the Israeli judicial system. She’s either unwell and requires ongoing inpatient treatment or she must face justice immediately.”

Waks lived in Melbourne where he co-founded Tzedek but now lives in Israel.

Her alleged victims are hurting. My thoughts are very much with them.”

Some of Leifer’s alleged victims currently live in Israel. Waks added: “They feel outraged, devastated and completely let down by Israel’s legal system. They are also fearful of bumping into her on the street.”

Waks told J-Wire that he understands that Israeli authorities had “apparently rejected Australia’s offer to assess Leifer”.

Tzedek said they were “astounded at the Israeli court ruling not to extradite Malka Leifer to face sexual abuse charges in Australia.

As an advocacy service for survivors of child sexual abuse, we are deeply concerned at the impact of this decision both in Israel and in Australia.

Given the serious nature of the charges, it is difficult to understand the court’s ruling.

Tzedek is also deeply concerned about the impact of this decision on survivors in Australia. Survivors were awaiting the court process in order to seek justice. This is a crucial part of the healing process – to see justice done.

It is important to send a public message to the survivors in Australia that they are believed and supported by the community. They need to be validated at this time.”

Leifer has failed to appear in court ten times.