Supreme Court blocks Holocaust victims from suing Hungary in US courts

The Supreme Court ruled Friday that the group of Holocaust victims who sought to sue the Hungarian state for damages during World War II will not be able to do so in US courts.

According to SCOTUS Justice Sonia Sotomayor, while "the moral imperative has been and remains to provide some measure of justice to Holocaust victims, and to do so in what remains of their lives," in this case it is outside the bounds of the US Justice.

The ruling does, however, leave the door open for victims to pursue their claims in other ways.

Accusations and expropriations of Jews in Hungary

The case on which SCOTUS rules has been in court for more than 15 years. Behind it are some 15 Holocaust victims and family members against the country of Hungary and its national railroad authority. Such suits against foreign governments are usually barred, but the victims wanted the Supreme Court to apply an exception to the rule in their case.

The plaintiffs allege that Hungary sold confiscated property last century, commingled the proceeds with its general funds, and used that commingled money to issue bonds and buy military hardware in the United States in the 2000s. However, this connection would not be sufficient for the intervention of the US Justice system.