The Katsavs
Photo: Avi Moalem
State Attorney to oppose Katsav's request for early release
Unfazed by the continued rejections by the parole board, convicted rapist Moshe Katsav, who was Israel's 8th president, is again applying for early release on Sunday.
The parole board is to meet on Sunday to debate yet another application from convicted rapist and former president Moshe Katsav for early reason from prison, and the State Attorney's office is expected to again oppose the request.
The office doesn't believe there to be new data to justify a change in previous decisions and that the treatment that Katsav underwent—which was not significant—was insufficient to render him suitable for early release. In addition, sources in the office said, serious weight must be given to the damage to Katsav's victims suffered due, inter alia, to his public denials of guilt.
However, sources in the State Attorney's office did note, "So long as Katsav is in serious treatment, we'll reconsider our position."
Moshe Katsav on furlough from prison for Rosh Hashana with his wife Gila (Photo: Avi Moalem)
The felon was placed in treatment for those who deny their crimes the last time that his application for parole was rejected, but to no avail: Katsav has continually refused to admit to his crimes and has never expressed regret to those he raped and sexually molested.
As Katsav has already served more than two thirds of his seven-year sentence, if his application for parole is granted, he will be immediately released from prison.
The parole board on Sunday will be presented with the recommendation of the Prison Rehabilitation Authority, which has already recommended the convict's early release due to his planned rehabilitation program for his return to civilian life. They will also consider a recommendation from the Prisons Service stating that the potential parolee has behaved in prison and a recommendation from the crime-deniers' treatment that he underwent.
Katsav underwent this treatment privately over the past half year, and officials there have declared that a positive change has taken place in his attitude.
