Hazan in court. convicted
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Former MK convicted in 'double voting' affair
Former Likud MK Yehiel Hazan found guilty of forgery, fraud after voting twice in Knesset vote on State budget in 2003
The Jerusalem Magistrates Court convicted on Wednesday former Likud Knesset Member Yehiel Hazan of vote forgery. Judge Haim Liran wrote in his ruling that the case "dealt a blow to the legislative procedure and the public's confidence in parliament."
The indictment against Hazan included counts of forgery, fraud and breach of trust, related to the famous "double voting" affair, which took place when Hazan attended a Knesset vote on the State budget in 2003. According to the indictment, Hazan used the electronic voting system to vote twice, after he noticed one of his faction's members was missing from the session.
According to the indictment, "by voting twice against the budget, Hazan created the false impression that the opponents to the budget won an additional vote… in doing so the defendant forged a document by creating a false voting record." The ruling also stated that Hazan's actions undermined the Knesset's legislative procedures and breached the confidence granted to Hazan by the public as member of the legislative authority.
During Hazan's investigation, the former MK was also involved in an alleged attempt to steal the electronic voting system from a Knesset storeroom, and the police consequently recommended that he be indicted. Hazan claimed then that the system, which was used by the Knesset at the time of his double voting incident, was faulty, and that he took it in a bid to have it inspected.
