Nazi Camp Guard John Demjanjuk Officially Charged With War Crimes

by Yuliya Talmazan | July 13, 2009 at 09:53 am

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Nazi camp guard John (Ivan) Demjanjuk, a former US citizen expatriated to stand trial in Germany for 'being complicit' with the war crimes leading to the deaths of nearly 28,000 inmates of the Sobibr concentration camp, has been officially charged today.

Demjanjuk is almost 90, which prompted his defense lawyers to say that he was not fit to stand trial for health reasons. However, just a week ago German prosecutors have declared Demjanjuk fit to stand trial after a medical examination. In addition, a video has surfaced, showing Demjanjuk walking around normally without assistance. Demjanjuk was deported from the United States in May to stand trial in Germany.

There has been some controversy over whether Demjanjuk has ever been at Sobibr and whether he was the right guard identified by the surviving inmates as 'Ivan the Terrible' for his brutality. Demjanjuk's anti-argument is that he was the Soviet POW during the War and has nothing to do with the killings.

Demjanjuk's trial could start this fall. If convicted, Demjanjuk is facing 15 years in prison. Back in 1988, Demjanjuk was sentenced to death in Israel for crimes against humanity, but the sentence was later overturned by Israel's highest court.