Moshe Katsav
Photo: Avi Rokach
Katsav refuses to supply DNA sample to police
Former president, currently serving 7-year jail sentence for rape, declines to provide police with DNA sample for national criminal database
Former President Moshe Katsav,
currently serving a seven year
sentence for rape at Maasiyahu Prison, has refused Wednesday to supply the police with a DNA sample for a national criminal database.
Police officials have begun to collect DNA samples from criminals across Israel. However, when officials arrived to collect a saliva sample from Katsav, he refused to cooperate. Now police officials must decide whether to force the former president to supply a sample or not.
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Katsav has previously refused to wear a prisoner's uniform, forcing authorities to deny him any visitation rights. Eventually he was allowed to only wear a prisoner's jacket over his civilian cloths and was given his visitation rights back.
He was also permitted to buy groceries at the prison canteen with the help of another inmate.
Contrary to protocol
Other prisoners and Israel Prison Service officials have expressed their resentment at the privileges the former president has received.
Recently Katsav, whose cell is situated at the jail's religious block, requested authorities provide him with secular television shows and newspapers, contrary to protocol.
"Everything he wants, he manages to get. If the Israel Prison Service folds this time as well, it'll be too much. If he wants a television, he should transfer to a regular wing. Let's see how he handles the prison conditions over there with inmates who don't like sex offenders, and that's an understatement," one prisoner told Ynet.
The police have been using genetic means of identifying offenders for a while now. On Wednesday, a rape suspect from seven years back was identified thanks to the DNA recognition.
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