While a parole board has requests for early release from former President Moshe Katsav, it now appears there is a reasonable chance the former president will be released from prison next week.

The standard procedure in the Israel prison system is that prisoners who behave well have a third of their sentence removed for ‘good behavior’. Mr. Katsav has already served over four years of his seven-year sentence but was denied parole. One of the terms of earning early release is admitting to one’s actions and expressing remorse to permit being ‘rehabilitated’. Katsav insists to this day he is innocent and refuses to admit his guilt and therefore, cannot and will not express remorse for his actions.

Katsav’s attorney appealed the parole board decision and a district court has ordered the parole board to convene to hear a request for early release once again. The new hearing is set for Wednesday 14 Tammuz based on the Israel Prison Authority announcing a prisoner may now be rehabilitated even if s/he does not express remorse, as is the case with the former president.

Mr. Katsav was convicted in 2010 of assaulting women, indecent acts and obstruction of justice. To this day he maintains his innocence.

Now that the system has changed its regulations do not compel one to express remorse for one’s actions, it is possible or perhaps likely the former president will be released next week.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)