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Photo: Tal Shahar
Former PM Ehud Olmert
Photo: Tal Shahar

Shaked sends mixed signals on Olmert’s pardon

President Rivlin apprised of Justice Ministry's stance opposing Olmert's pardon, while Justice Minister Shaked asks that he consider former PM’s 'contribution to national security.'

The Ministry of Justice has made plain its official stance regarding another pardon request by former prime minister Ehud Olmert to President Reuven Rivlin, stating that it is opposed the idea due to the message it could send to the public, especially in light of present corrpution scandals, not least that involving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

 

 

Surprisingly however, when presenting her ministry's official stance, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked asked Reuven Rivlin to take into consideration Olmert's "unique contribution to national security."

 

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (L) and President Reuven Rivlin (Photo: Motti Kimchi, Mark Neiman/PMO) (Photo: Motti Kimchi, Mark Nayman/GPO)
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (L) and President Reuven Rivlin (Photo: Motti Kimchi, Mark Neiman/PMO)

 

Shaked has stated that the decision lies solely at the hands of the president, and made it clear that she will support any decision he makes.

 

Olmert, who is serving a 27-month prison sentence for a corruption, submitted the pardon request late in January this year.

 

Convicted PM Ehud Olmert (Photo: Shahar Tal) (Photo: Tal Shahar)
Convicted PM Ehud Olmert (Photo: Shahar Tal)

 

He is set be released from jail in the summer of 2018. However, if a third of his sentence is deducted, he will be discharged in October this year.

 

Last September, the Supreme Court rejected three appeals by Olmert and ordered that he serve eight months in prison in addition to the 18 months he was already serving for bribery in the Holyland real estate case.

 

Olmert was convicted for receiving and using over $150,000 in envelopes from US businessman Morris Talansky between 1993 and 2002.

 

The trial began in 2008, when Olmert was still the prime minister. Olmert appealed the ruling, but it was unanimously rejected.

 

(Translated & edited by Lior Mor)

 


פרסום ראשון: 03.15.17, 23:12
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