quote:JERUSALEM The police recommended Sunday that President Moshe Katsav be charged with rape, aggravated sexual assault and fraud, the most serious charges ever to face an Israeli leader.
The recommendation came at a meeting between police investigators and Attorney General Meni Mazuz. The final decision on whether to put the president on trial is up to Mazuz.
According to the statement issued after the meeting, the police also found basis for charges of fraud and malfeasance in office in the case of pardons granted by the president, as well as illegal wiretapping, while investigations concerning disrupting a police investigation and harassing a witness were still in progress.
While a previous president and several prime ministers have been suspected of financial misdeeds and a former defense minister was convicted of sexual harassment, the charges facing Katsav would be the most serious criminal counts brought against a serving Israeli official.
In a statement issued by Katsav's office, his lawyer, Zion Amir, said the police were not authorized to bring charges, noting that in the past, when the police had recommended putting senior officials on trial, the attorney general dismissed most of the cases.
Mazuz does not have a deadline for making his decision and is expected to take several weeks to study the evidence.
posted
Oh, yes... It's been around for a while. He's also taken money from the national treasury, it is said.
Posts: 2978 | Registered: Oct 2004
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He has immunity. Just like the police can't bring charges against the US President, and it requires impeachment by Congress, the same, more or less, is true in Israel.
It's a shame. Katzav seemed like a good guy, for a politician. If the charges are true, I hope he goes away and drops his soap. Repeatedly.
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Because I think solitary is worse punishment than almost ANY kind of human contact for most people-- especially politicians and others who seek public attention. And because I do not think that tit-for-tat is a good way to punish almost anything.
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