Court: Katsav to have closed-doors trial
Former president's defense team suffers another setback as Tel Aviv District Court rejects motion to open trial to public. Legal team appeals denial of resignation request with Supreme Court
The Tel Aviv District Court ruled Tuesday that Former President Moshe Katsav's trial will be held behind close doors, thus rejecting an open-court motion filed be the defense.
Nevertheless, the court ruled that the content of some of the hearing would be made public once the hearing is adjourned.
Katsav is facing multiple charges of rape, indecent acts and sexual harassment against several former female employees. He has entered a plea of not guilty on all charges. The court also stipulated that his testimony would not be made public, "since there is a reasonable fear that his testimony will include details which may reveal the complainants' identity and violate their privacy."
"While there is no dispute on the principle of a judicial procedure's public nature, closing the court's door during the hearing of a sex offence case is made to first and foremost ensure the complainant can state her case," said the ruling.
The court further stated that any other testimony which may compromise the complainants' privacy – including those by police investigators, professionals the likes of lawyers and therapists, and friends – will also be heard behind closed doors and barred from publication.
The decision, dealing yet another blow to the defense, also dismissed Katsav's lawyers' claims that all of the complainants had granted media interviews, and that the measures used to conceal their identity were ineffective.
"The fact that they granted anonymous interviews has no bearing on the court's decision, since their anonymity has not been compromised," said the ruling.
Defense team wants off the case
Meanwhile, the former president's attorneys, Zion Amir, Avigdor Feldman and Avraham Lavi filed a Supreme Court appeal against the Tel Aviv District Court's decision not to excuse them form the case.
The legal trio asked the Tel Aviv District Court to be relieved as the former president's counsels last week, citing that the marathonic schedule set for the trial – four hearings a week starting September – was "impossible to a degree that would hinder obligations both to this defendant and to their other clients."
Sunday saw the court deny the petition, saying it will not allow the defense any stalling, but the petition to the Supreme Court claims that the decision is unfair as "it will hinder other cases whose trial dates have already been set."
Amir, Feldman and Lavi planned to ask the trial begin on October 11 – right after the courts' reconvene from their High Holidays recess. The defense, said the petition, was going to use the recess to finish studying the case.
"The advocates must respect the court, but it must return the favor… The Tel Aviv District Court's position, which suggests that the defense team's petition is no more than a maneuver meant to delay the trial, is unworthy and inconsistent with their professionalism and their commitment to the judicial process."
The three further argued that their request for a deferral was not unreasonable, but once the court denied them "they have no choice but to abandon a fight they wanted to see through."
Katsav's attorneys asked the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing date in the matter. They also asked the court to suspend all the legal proceedings in the day until a final decision in the matter is made.
Aviad Glickman contributed to this report
