18 September 2002
Yad Vashem views the French court decision to free Maurice Papon as a sign of blatant disregard of the suffering he perpetrated on countless Jewish victims and questions whether the court weighed this suffering of innocents against his failing health when deciding to release him. This verdict is all the more worrying in light of the current wave of antisemitism in Europe and in France in particular.
Yad Vashem commends the courageous position taken by French President Jacques Chirac in denying Papon’s requests for pardon and applauds other French officials and Jewish activitists in their continued battle against Papon’s release.
