Katsav trial protocols revealed
Tel Aviv District Court releases protocols of Moshe Katsav's trial as former president prepares to begin serving seven-year sentence
The Tel Aviv District Court has authorized the release of testimonies from the trial of former President Moshe Katsav, who was sentenced to seven years in prison for rape.
Among the witnesses was a close associate of A. from the Tourism Ministry, Yaron Armoza who testified about a conversation he had with the complainant during which she told him the former president had raped her.
"She told me that in 1999, he lay on top of her in the office, and forcefully attacked her. She said 'he really raped me.'"
He described A.'s character to the court thus: "She is very insecure, very naïve, so much so that her innocence is annoying, she tends to believe any person, she can be very easily led on. She wanted revenge. I mean, she wanted it to come out somehow, but not to be associated by name."
Armoza said he phoned MK Shelly Yachimovich after she met with another complainant, A. from the President's Residence, and told her he knows another person who was attacked by Katsav.
"Shelly met with her and later told me that far worse things happened there, she was literally raped by him twice." Yachimovich had apparently told Armoza that A. remembered specific details from the room in which she was attacked. After the talk, Armoza approached the police.
The witness recounted his conversations with A. "She told me 'he really had sex with me and raped me. He forcefully pressed me to the floor and penetrated me.
"At one point she said she didn't tell the whole truth when she was first questioned by the police, and said he raped her in the hotel too. She had to come in on work matters and waited downstairs, and then he told her to come up. She didn’t want to come up but eventually did, and there he raped her the second time," Armoza testified.
"She felt horrible about this. It really bothered her, she didn’t want people to think she was a liar. It was very hard on her that it happened a second time."
'Problematic relationship'
Shaul Haleli, a graphologist, whom A. from the Tourism Ministry had approached for a consultation also testified. Haleli provided A. with professional guidance and advised her on relationships.
The two also discussed her relationship with the former president. "She told me she works in the Ministry and loves the job," he said. Haleli noted that at one point A. said she has a problematic relationship with Katsav.
He testified that A. told him that Katsav groped her and mentioned she added that she pushed him away.
"She was very upset when she told me this," he testified. Haleli said he advised A. to confront Katsav and firmly establish she would not tolerate such behavior.
Katsav after his conviction (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)
He added that A. had proposed that he meet Katsav. The three eventually met, and according to Haleli discussed A.'s working relationship with Katsav.
"Katsav said he was pleased with her work, that she was a good secretary and that he would make an effort to improve her relationship with him and the other secretaries."
Haleli testified that A. had asked that Katsav be more pleasant towards her.
A. consulted lawyer about dismissal
Attorney Eliyahu Bentovim testified that A. had approached him after she learned she was to be dismissed. "She told me that she wanted to continue working, that was my impression, but that the minister did not," he said.
"She told me the minister sexually harassed her and that she felt she was being dismissed because she didn't accept his advances," he testified.
Bentovim said he told A. to approach the police on that matter and that he could not help her with the sexual harassment complaint.
"As far as I remember she came to meet me a week later. She asked that I take steps to ensure her legal rights and be in touch with the Ministry so she would be aptly represented."
Bentovim testified that he later approached the Tourism Ministry's director-general and finalized with him the details of A.'s termination.
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court ruled that Katsav will not begin serving his sentence on Sunday as a hearing on his appeal was scheduled for Tuesday.
Katsav's attorneys. Criticized decision to release protocols (Photo: Eliad Levy)
Defense: Katsav unjustly treated
Meanwhile, Katsav's attorneys criticized the decision to release the protocols just days before the Supreme Court is set to discuss a motion to postpone the implementation of the former president's punishment until a decision regarding his appeal is reached.
"I find it puzzling that the court should decide to release the testimonies of the prosecution's witnesses and not those of the defense witnesses," Attorney Avraham Lavi said.
"There is no doubt this hinders the public's right to understand the judicial process. With all due respect, Mr. Moshe Katsav has been unjustly treated."
One of the protocols reveals that the defense complained during the trial that the complainants were given an opportunity to coordinate their testimonies.
Aviad Glickman contributed to this report
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