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GreekReporter.comAustraliaFamily of Doujon Zammit Assists Other Families in Mourning

Family of Doujon Zammit Assists Other Families in Mourning

When Doujon Zammit was murdered in Greece in 2008, his parents said they were told by Australian officials that they would have received more help if he had been charged with a crime.

After fighting for justice to see his killer convicted, his parents Oliver and Rosemary, from Sydney’s west, want other families to receive better support.

“We had no idea what was going on in court. We couldn’t understand the language. We received no support.
It doesn’t matter if you are an international or domestic victim, you are still Australian – it shouldn’t matter that a person wasn’t killed in Australia.”

Doujon, 20, was bashed by four men outside a Mykonos nightclub and later slipped into a coma. His family donated his organs to save the lives of five others.

Mr Zammit received consular help to bring his son’s body home but had to spend $15,000 himself for legal help, airfares and hotels during the trial.

The Zammits want the government to set up an organization to give grieving families the same legal, consular and counselling help that is available to those who have a relative facing criminal charges overseas. Each year about 19 Australians are murdered overseas.

Mr Zammit has approached Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd but said he was disappointed with the response.

Homicide Victims’ Support Group executive director Martha Jabour yesterday said: “If an Australian gets into trouble overseas and is charged with an alleged crime, our government goes into overdrive to help them with legal services and support.

NSW MLC Walt Secord raised the issue during parliament last week in a bid to help the Zammits’ campaign.

DFAT last night said each case of Australians needing help overseas required different levels of support and reviews were regularly conducted “to ensure that appropriate assistance is being provided”.

“In this specific case, DFAT liaised with Greek authorities and the family’s funeral director on the family’s behalf and made representations to senior Greek contacts to register the Australian Government’s interest in the case.”

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