WARSAW, Poland (JTA) — A court in Poland conditionally dismissed charges against two Turkish nationals accused of making a Nazi salute at the former concentration camp Majdanek.
Two former students at the Technical University of Lublin — identified as Mesut T., 24, and Mehmet A., 21 — were given two years probation on Wednesday in a court in that Polish city.
The defendants were charged with public promotion of the fascist regime, a crime that carries a prison sentence of three years.
Both had pleaded not guilty but accused each other of making the Nazi salute. Their lawyers requested the case be dismissed on the grounds that their act did not cause significant social harm.
Prosecutors said they may appeal the decision.
Israeli tourists in Majdanek said they had spotted the two making the salute and alerted museum guards.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.