Half a century ago today, on 29 May 1962, the Supreme Court of Israel confirmed the conviction of Adolf Eichmann by the District Court in Jerusalem in December 1961 for crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes against the Jewish people (genocide) during the Second World War.1 This landmark judgment was the first universal jurisdiction case in over a decade since the USA and the United Kingdom, together with other Commonwealth countries, had secretly called a halt to all prosecutions of Axis nationals for crimes against humanity and war crimes.2 Although the Supreme Court stated that it fully concurred, “without hesitation or reserve, in all [the District Court’s] conclusions”, its own judgment developed and strengthened the lower court’s reasoning.

Adolf Eichmann was responsible for the implementation of Adolf Hitler’s Final Solution, involving the deportation, robbery and murder of approximately six million Jews, as well as of other minority groups, including Roma and homosexuals.3 He was seized by Israeli secret agents in Argentina on 11 May 1961, where he had been hiding under a false name after entering the country on forged papers.4 Israel and Argentina had each signed an extradition treaty shortly before his capture, but neither had ratified it. Israel decided to abduct him without waiting for the treaty to enter into force, apparently in fear that Adolf Eichmann would escape.

Report by Amnesty International