Mazuz holds hearing for Katsav
Suspended president attends hearing at Attorney General's office to discuss indictment; Katsav's attorneys optimistic, claim to have new evidence
Suspended President Moshe Katsav's attorneys arrived at Attorney General Menachem Mazuz's office for a hearing on his indictment Wednesday morning.
The hearing lasted four hours, but Katsav's attorneys said that they would return with additional material for another meeting.
Attorneys Zion Amir, Avigdor Feldman, and Avraham Lavi said prior to the meeting that they plan to try and convince Mazuz not to file an indictment against the president for rape charges.
"This is going to be a dramatic hearing, we plan to present new evidence," said advocate Lavi.
Despite accusations that Mazuz has already made up his mind to indict the president, the attorney general said he would hear the president's arguments.
The president's brother, Lior Katsav, told Ynet that Tuesday night's meeting with the president and his aides ended on an optimistic note.
Mazuz arrives at courthouse (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
"The lawyers are motivated and very optimistic that they will be able to convince the team tomorrow that there is no basis for an indictment," Lior Katsav said.
Katsav's aides also mentioned Jerusalem District Attorney Eli Abarbanel and criminal justice department head Efrat Barzilai's position that there is no cause to indict the president.
"We are now convinced more than ever, after having the evidence exposed to us and after analyzing it, that the attorney general's willingness to hear us out is serious…We also have faith that the arguments will fall on attentive ears.
"The attorney general is coming from a clean slate and we believe he will be convinced…according to the test set by attorney general Mazuz, an indictment is only filed when there is a viable chance for conviction. In this case, the chance for conviction does not exist," said attorney Amir.
