Watch this video of the shocking story.

Please sign this PETITION and urge others to sign.

This is a campaign to save 2 innocent children whose lives have been turned upside down by a scandalous and unjust Austrian court ruling.

On 25^th July 2011, twin boys Samuel and Benjamin Schlesinger were just 2 years, 2 months old when they were taken from their mother as she was feeding them supper. Their father, Michael Schlesinger, carried them away in just the clothes they were wearing, seemingly oblivious to their piercing screams.  Their mother was given less than half an hour’s notice that he had been awarded sole custody. There was no time to pack their clothes or toys; no time to even kiss her sons goodbye.

The judge, Susanne Göttlicher, awarded the British mother no visitation rights. It was 8 weeks before Samuel and Benjamin saw their mother again. Until today, they are only granted minimal contact; once a week for 6 hours and every second Sunday from 9am-5pm. NO overnights, NO weekend visits; although their mother was their main carer and despite documented evidence from eminent child psychologists, children’s doctors and social workers that the children were perfectly healthy and well-developed under her care.

The highly irregular custody decision and psychological recommendation on which it was based have been heavily criticised and challenged by an expert team of Austrian legal advisers, medical professionals and social workers.

Michael Schlesinger, a trainee doctor, alleged that his Cambridge educated wife, Beth, was ‘mentally ill’ and that the children were ‘retarded;’ claims which were wholly unsubstantiated and had been medically disproven. The children are now almost 4 years old. After 18 months with their father, they barely speak, are still in nappies and are extremely disturbed and confused.  Yet the judge has ignored the mother’s repeated applications for an urgent psychological assessment.

The father was given sole custody in July 2011. On appeal this was reduced to temporary custody as the appeal court felt that there was not enough information available to the judge to justify giving the father custody. At the same time the appeal court directed that the issue of custody should be referred back to the trial judge for further investigation. This was nearly 18 months ago and the only thing the judge has done in accordance with this direction was to order the mother to be mentally assessed. This assessment was carried out in August 2012 and the written report was produced in November which stated that ‘neither at the time of the examination nor at any time in the past has Beth Rebecca Schlesinger suffered from any form of mental illness.’ (Dr Werner Leixnering, senior psychiatrist and psychotherapist – court commissioned report)

The case has now been suspended following the mother’s application for a new judge and court. The judge is being investigated on charges of alleged bias. The Social Services are also being investigated for their handling of the case. The father has been reported to the Medical Council of Vienna for alleged gross abuse of his professional position as well to the criminal court on various other alleged charges.

The Austrian courts, without any real justification, have caused Samuel and Benjamin untold psychological trauma and months of unnecessary suffering. These vulnerable boys have been legally abused and denied justice simply because as children, they have no voice.

Please sign this PETITION and urge others to sign.