Ex-Belarus envoy sentenced to 4 months community service
Ze'ev Ben Arie convicted of jeopardizing investigation against Foreign Minister Lieberman; sentence part of a plea bargain
Former Israeli Ambassador in Belarus Ze'ev Ben Arie was sentenced to four months of community service after he was found guilty of obstruction of justice and failing to abide by State Service mandatory disclosure protocols, in a case related to the charges pending against Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
The Jerusalem Magistrates' Court thus approved Sunday a plea bargain reached in the case.
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Judge Hagit Mac-Kalmanovich decided to cut the State's request of a six-month sentence to four, citing Ben Arie's record in service, but added: "There is no contention about the fact that the defendant's act was serious and may have inflicted serious damage to the investigation… Especially given his official duties."
The judge further noted that the sentence was "befitting of the offence" as Ben Arie's professional reputation was now tainted and that he was expelled from the civil service.
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