Malka Leifer appeals extradition decision at Supreme Court
Leifer's attorneys stressed that she is in fact mentally unfit to stand trial, pointing to past and new statements by medical professionals.
By TZVI JOFFREMalka Leifer, a former Australian school principal who is wanted in Australia on suspicion of sexually abusing students, walks in the corridor of the Jerusalem District Court accompanied by Israeli Prison Service guards, in Jerusalem(photo credit: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)
Attorneys for alleged sex offender Malka Leifer filed an appeal to the Supreme Court concerning the ruling by the Jerusalem District Court that Leifer is mentally fit to be extradited to Australia to stand trial there.The attorneys pointed to a decision by a court in 2016 to halt all legal processes against Leifer due to medical opinions stating that Leifer suffered from mental conditions and is unfit to stand trial.Leifer’s legal representatives also stated that despite the opinion of a panel of experts that Leifer was faking her mental illness, she has been receiving antipsychotic drug treatment that could adversely affect her health for two years, from expert psychiatrists in the Prisons Service.The attorneys requested a delay in the execution of the court’s decision to resume extradition proceedings pending the decision on the appeal filed today. They also wish to present new evidence, a document by a medical officer in the Prisons Service rejecting the court’s decision and stating that Leifer is, in fact, suffering from mental health issues.“We weren’t really surprised that the sex criminal Malka Leifer filed an appeal on the decision,” said the Magen La’Kehilot Yehudiot organization in response to the appeal on Wednesday. “We hope that the Supreme Court will reject the request outright and allow her to stand trial. We strengthen the victims and hope that Leifer’s extradition to Australia and prosecution will give them some comfort.”Jerusalem District Court Judge Chana Miriam Lomp ruled in May that Leifer is mentally fit for extradition and to stand trial in Australia.Leifer, who is wanted on 74 counts of sexual abuse and rape of minors, has claimed mental illness since extradition proceedings were initiated in 2014. The court has now ruled that those claims were not valid.Jeremy Sharon contributed to this report.
