Katsav deserves no leave
Op-ed: As long as convicted rapist fails to admit and regret his actions, he must stay in prison
There appears to be no legal flaw in convicted rapist Moshe Katsav's
first leave from prison.
If there were such a flaw, it's safe to assume that it would have been intercepted by different petitions even before it began. On the other hand, this bonus does leave a bad taste in one's mouth, which is impossible to ignore.
One must not forget. The Israeli public's faith in the government systems suffered a nearly critical blow because of Moshe Katsav. This faith was only restored thanks to the determination and cleanliness of the legal system, which convicted the man and sent him to prison, like every other felon. But the system's trial does not end here, and it still faces a shrewd and determined criminal.
Victim Speaks
For more than six years, Orly Revivo was filmed. The resulting work will be broadcast tonight on Channel 10. It tells the story – for the first time – about her diary, the demands of Gila Katsav, and with her mother at her side, describes nightmare situation at President's Residence
Katsav's leave was made possible thanks to the fact that someone at the Israel Prison Service decided not to use any judgment and favored the narrow consideration over the wider, more important public aspect. They said: He's a quiet prisoner, who doesn't cause trouble. It's true that when he first arrived in jail he refused to put on the prison uniform and was even harassed here and there, but he later calmed down. And if he's that good, he deserves a first 24-hour leave.
That's a mistake, because the important thing here is not the leave, but maintaining the principle of equality before the law. But the problem is that there is no one or nothing to compare Katsav to, as he is not a normal prisoner. He is a very abnormal prisoner, for the simple reason that he is the only one who was once the president of the State of Israel. And precisely because of that, the fact that he is still adamant in his refusal to admit what he did and express his regret, should not have been taken leniently.
After all, Katsav's first leave is not an indisputable fact and is subject to the IPS's consideration. Someone there should have taken the public interest into account and declared that as long as the man fails to admit his actions and express regret, he will not go on leave. And if he chooses to continue denying his guilt and sticking to his false faith in his innocence, he should continue paying the price as well.
