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Israel upholds Katsav plea deal | Israel upholds Katsav plea deal |
(40 minutes later) | |
Israel's Supreme Court has upheld a controversial plea bargain that allows ex-President Moshe Katsav to escape rape charges and possible jail. | Israel's Supreme Court has upheld a controversial plea bargain that allows ex-President Moshe Katsav to escape rape charges and possible jail. |
Under the terms of the deal which Mr Katsav made with the attorney general, he will not be charged with rape. | |
Instead, he pleads guilty to two charges of sexual harassment and will receive a suspended sentence. | Instead, he pleads guilty to two charges of sexual harassment and will receive a suspended sentence. |
Allegations of rape and sexual harassment were made by four women who had worked for the former president. | Allegations of rape and sexual harassment were made by four women who had worked for the former president. |
Women's rights have led the protests against the attorney general's decision to drop rape charges against Mr Katsav. | Women's rights have led the protests against the attorney general's decision to drop rape charges against Mr Katsav. |
A panel of five judges voted by three to two to reject petitions from six individuals and organisations to overturn the plea bargain made in June last year. | A panel of five judges voted by three to two to reject petitions from six individuals and organisations to overturn the plea bargain made in June last year. |
A lawyer for one of the women who accused Mr Katsav said she was "very much infuriated" by the court's decision. | A lawyer for one of the women who accused Mr Katsav said she was "very much infuriated" by the court's decision. |
KATSAV TIMELINE July 2000: Elected president of IsraelJanuary 2007: Charged with rape and sexual harassment28 June 2007: Strikes plea bargain to avoid rape charges and a prison term29 June 2007: Resigns as part of plea bargain July 2007: Israel's top court allows challenge to plea bargain | |
"If the attorney general's decision was wrong, deficient, riddled with shortcomings, distorts reality, causes many people emotional upheaval and leaves a woman's body defenceless, then I think it would have been proper to intervene in such a vile plea bargain," Kinneret Barashi told the Associated Press. | "If the attorney general's decision was wrong, deficient, riddled with shortcomings, distorts reality, causes many people emotional upheaval and leaves a woman's body defenceless, then I think it would have been proper to intervene in such a vile plea bargain," Kinneret Barashi told the Associated Press. |
Btu Mr Katsav's lawyer, Zion Amir, said the former president had gone through enough. | |
"This is not a victory. This is a sad day," he said. | "This is not a victory. This is a sad day," he said. |
"After all, the former president went through a lot to reach this point. From the start, I think the petitions were unnecessary." | |
Stepping down | Stepping down |
Originally, the police charged Moshe Katsav with rape, sexual harassment and abuse of power. | Originally, the police charged Moshe Katsav with rape, sexual harassment and abuse of power. |
Part of the controversial deal was for Moshe Katsav to step down as president of Israel, a largely ceremonial role. | Part of the controversial deal was for Moshe Katsav to step down as president of Israel, a largely ceremonial role. |
He will also have to pay damages to his accusers. | He will also have to pay damages to his accusers. |
Rape convictions in Israel carry a maximum sentence of 16 years in prison. | Rape convictions in Israel carry a maximum sentence of 16 years in prison. |