The release of thousands of pages of documents related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's abuse by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has left some who were anxiously awaiting the files disappointed.
By law, the DOJ had to make all materials public by the end of Friday. But only some have been released, many with numerous redactions.
Lawmakers who pushed for these documents to see the light of day have described the DOJ's efforts as insincere, and some legal experts say that the redactions may only fuel ongoing conspiracy theories.
We just want all of the evidence of these crimes out there, Epstein survivor Liz Stein told the BBC.
Ms. Stein expressed her belief that the Justice Department was really brazenly going against the Epstein Files Transparency Act - the law requiring full disclosure of all documents.
Survivors are worried about a slow roll-out of incomplete information without any context, she stated.
Marina Lacerda, who was 14 when she was abused by Epstein, also voiced her concern about the DOJ's handling of the release. We are very worried that it will still be redacted in the same way that it was today, she remarked.
Latest released materials include a photograph of Epstein's confidante Ghislaine Maxwell outside Downing Street and documents claiming he introduced a 14-year-old girl to former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Other images depict numerous high-profile figures, raising questions about the extent of their involvement with Epstein.
Being named or pictured in the files does not imply wrongdoing, as many involved have denied any allegations against them. However, the removal of certain files and extensive redactions have raised alarms about the transparency of the DOJ's actions.
Deputy US Attorney General Todd Blanche indicated that more materials would continue to be reviewed and released, adhering to the law, but the heavily redacted versions have not allayed the concerns of survivors and lawmakers alike.
Many survivors, including prominent advocates like Liz Stein, now call for complete transparency and accountability from the DOJ regarding the Epstein files.
