Shaked, R, Poznanski
Photo: AIPAC, Courts
Shaked: Judge Poznanski should be suspended for one year
Justice Minister Shaked is asking for year suspension for Judge Ronit Poznanski-Katz after a Disciplinary Court panel found her guilty of inappropriate behavior, ethics violation, for conducting text correspondence with ISA representative in Case 4000; Chief Justice Hayut had suspended her earlier.
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked asked the disciplinary court on Monday to impose on Ronit Poznanski-Katz a sentence of one year suspension and then further prevent her from engaging in criminal law for an additional two years. Sunday, the court found her guilty of inappropriate behavior in the wake of her part in the text messaging scandal in Case 4000.
The February correspondence was between her and Israel Securities Authority (ISA) representative, Attorney Eran Shacham-Shavit, who texted her to “look surprised” when the prosecution asks for the release of the suspects Or Elovitz and Amikam Shorer to house arrest.
Shaked, R, Poznanski (Photo: AIPAC, Courts)
In a hearing before the Disciplinary Court panel, Poznanski-Katz was found guilty, in accordance with her confession, by a Disciplinary Tribunal for Judges, headed by retired President Justice Asher Grunis, Supreme Court Justice Neil Hendel and Vice President of the Nazareth District Court, Justice Esther Hellman, of a disciplinary offense of conduct in a manner that is not appropriateto the status of a judge in Israel, and a violation of the Rules of Ethics for Judges.
According to the confession by the judge, she and the deputy prosecutor involved in the case conducted various correspondences regarding the case, a correspondence that should not have been held between the prosecution’s representative and the judge who presided over the proceedings.
The correspondence between the judge and the representative of the Israel Securities Authority was related to the extensions of the suspects' detention in the Bezeq case, Case 4000. Attorney Shacham-Shavit wrote to the judge: "At least the good news that Or and Amikam will be released tomorrow under on condition." In another statement he told her to “look surprised.” Justice Poznanski-Katz replied: "I am starting to work on an appropriate expression of total surprise," she joked.
Attorney Shacham-Shavit added, referring to Hendler and Iris Elovitz: "Stella and Iris, we will ask (to extend their remand) for a few days tomorrow. They'll ask for 3 days, but you can certainly give two," Shacham-Shavit wrote, "you continue to reveal everything to me and I will have to look really surprised." She later added that "perhaps the plan we thought about is not so far from reality."
About a month ago, Supreme Court President Esther Hayut rejected the judge's request to continue her voluntary leave of absence instead of being suspended. President Hayut informed Poznanski-Katz that she was suspending her from her judicial duties until a further decision is made.
