Former Israeli president Moshe Katsav goes to prison for rape
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Moshe Katsav, President of Israel from 2000 to 2007, is to start a seven-year prison sentence for rape today at Maasiyahu Prison in Ramla. Katsav was convicted of raping an employee twice in 1998, while he was tourism minister, and then later sexually abusing two other women as president.
Katsav claims he is innocent, telling the New York Times: “I’m about to pay the price for something I haven’t done”.
Katsav is expected to arrive at the prison at 10am Israeli local time (UTC+3) and will be placed in a wing for religiously observant prisoners. The prison have stated they do not believe him to be a suicide risk, and have also stated that they have no concerns with Katsav either potentially leaking state secrets or meeting prisoners he did not pardon while president.
Related news
- "Israeli president advised to step down" — Wikinews, October 29, 2006
Sources
- Ethan Bronner. "Israeli Ex-Chief Avows Innocence on Eve of Prison" — New York Times, December 6, 2011
- Yanir Yagna, Yaniv Kubovich and Jonathan Lis. "Katsav to begin 7-year prison term for rape tomorrow" — Ha'aretz, December 6, 2011