Will consider an appeal. Hazan
Photo: Gil Yochanan
Double-voting former MK gets suspended sentence
Jerusalem court sentences former Likud MK Hazan to two-month suspended sentence, four months of community service for using electronic system to vote twice on State Budget in 2003. ‘Hazan dealt blow to legislative procedure, public's confidence in parliament,’ judge says in ruling. Hazan: Media drank my blood
The Jerusalem Magistrates Court sentenced on Monday former Likud MK Yehiel Hazan to a two-month suspended sentence and four months of community service.
Busted
Ilan Marciano
MK Yehiel Hazan caught on video camera removing equipment from Knesset storeroom, which may be used as evidence against him in 'double voting' scandal. Hazan says he had permission to take equipment, claims accusations are 'untrue'
Last April Hazan was convicted of forgery, fraud and breach of trust, related to the famous "double voting" affair. The former MK attended a Knesset vote on the State budget in 2003, and, according to the indictment, used the electronic voting system to vote twice after noticing that one of his faction's members was missing from the session.
'Blow to public's confidence in parliament'
“I will consider an appeal after consulting with my attorney,” Hazan said after the sentencing, adding that “the media drank my blood.”
Hazan’s attorney said that in its ruling the court took Hazan’s “public work aimed at helping and saving people” into consideration.
Judge Haim Li-Ran dismissed Hazan’s claim that he had accidentally voted twice.
"Hazan dealt a blow to the legislative procedure and the public's confidence in parliament," the judge said in his ruling.
The former MK was also involved in an alleged attempt to steal the electronic voting system from a Knesset storeroom, and 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.
Former Likud MK Michael Gorlovsky was also found guilty of double voting, but has not stood trial as of yet.
