Court denies Katsav's petition for full disclosure
Although receiving most investigation material, president asks for prosecutors' opinion stating he should not be indicted for rape. High Court, siding with State Prosecutor's Office, rejects petition
The High Court of Justice on Monday denied President Moshe Katsav's petition for full discloser of investigation material, including various prosecutor's opinions in the rape and sexual harassment cases pending against him.
President Katsav petitioned for the opinions of Jerusalem District Attorney Eli Abarbanel, and head of the Criminal Department at the State Prosecutor's Office, Efrat Barzilai, both stating he should not be indicted for rape.
The State Prosecutor's Office had said before the President Katsav had already received all relevant material, and that the material he was seeking now is considered internal memorandums should not be disclosed.
The judges hinted to their decision during Sunday's hearing in the matter.
"You're putting the cart before the horse," Supreme Court President Dorit Beinish told the president's lawyers, suggesting they submit specific requests for material. The State Prosecutor's Office opposed the petition, and the president's lawyers refused to withdraw it.
Court's decision follows Sundays Knesset House Committee's approval of an extended leave of absence for Katsav. Carried with 11 MKs in favor and four opposed, the extended leave will take Katsav to the end of his term.
"The committee opposes the president's decision not to resign, particularly after the attorney general announced that there was cause for an indictment against him, for serious offenses," the committee said in a statement.
"Under these circumstances", the statement read, "and in view of the president's decision not to resign but to declare himself unable to perform his duties, the Knesset House Committee approves the announcement and declares that the president temporarily unable to perform his job, starting from this current suspension period, until the end of his term according to law."
