Only a few days following the High Court of Justice ruling rejecting an appeal from former President Moshe Katsav, Shas MKs are calling for a pardon. Katsav was convicted of violent crimes, and sentenced to seven years imprisonment.

MK David Azoulay is quoted as telling Kikar Shabbat “I believe that this man, Moshe Katsav, was judged in the media for five years during which he was ousted from the community, mocked, humiliated and in certain aspects, he already served his sentence”.

“I also believe it is not fitting for the State of Israel that a person who represented its highest office now sits in a prison. Therefore I believe the possibility of an early pardon should be considered. I believe he should serve a part of his sentence and then received a pardon”, Azoulay added.

“I believe he must be given amnesty. This is the opinion of many of the nation’s most prominent attorneys as well, since the basis of the case and conviction was the credibility of the testimony of a single witness. The case lacks the unequivocal certainty and decisive proof and therefore and early pardon is in order”.

MK Yitzchak Vaknin, also from Shas, is in agreement. He serves as the chairman of the Knesset Ethics Committee, and he feels that after the former president serves a portion of the sentence, and he did not state how large a portion, then he should be considered for a presidential pardon.

Interestingly, in line with the opinion of the two Shas MKs is prominent left-wing personality Dr. Yossi Beilin, a former MK and cabinet minister. Beilin does not wish to see one who was a prominent state symbol sitting behind bars, calling for a pardon as well providing Katsav expresses remorse for his actions.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)