Ramon. 'Unworthy'
Photo: Niv Calderon
State: No legal grounds to prevent Ramon appointment
In reply to High Court petition against former minister's appointment as vice premier, State Prosecution says issue is a matter of public, rather than legal discussion
There are no legal grounds for preventing Haim Ramon from being appointed vice premier, despite his conviction of indecent assault, the State Prosecution stated Sunday in response to a High Court petition against the appointment.
The petition was filed by a group of organizations, which claimed that following his conviction of such a "severe offense," Ramon was an unworthy candidate for the position, and that his appointment was a grave insult to women. His conviction "would not even have enabled him to get a job as a cleaner at a government office," the petitioners said.
However, the State Prosecution explained that because the court did not define Ramon's offense as a crime of moral turpitude, there were no legal grounds for preventing the appointment.
The prosecution said that the issue should be a matter of public, rather than legal discussion.
In January 2007, the Tel Aviv District Court convicted former justice minister Ramon of indecent assault for kissing a female soldier serving at the Prime Minister's Office against her will.
The court ruled that Ramon's testimony was unreliable and criticized him for attempting to discredit the complainant.
