Protests mounted here today among Germans objecting to the Cabinet’s decision against extending the statute of limitations for prosecution of major war criminals beyond next May. At the same time, the Ministry of Justice announced today that 16 leading Nazi war criminals, each of them a gauleiter, are free and have not faced trials.
Newspapers continued today to carry letters of protest against the Cabinet’s decision. A number of such letters appeared in today’s popular Sunday newspaper, Die Welt am Sontag. Meanwhile, the Government’s chief spokesman again announced today that a worldwide appeal has been issued for information, including documentation, names and addresses, relating to any war criminals who may have sought refuge in other countries.
The Central Council of Jews of Germany called on the West German Federal Government today to introduce a new statute of limitations which would limit prosecution for murder to 30 years after the crime. The Council called for the change to be enacted by next May when the current 20-year statute of limitations will expire for Nazi war criminals.
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