Ex-Israeli president given seven years for rape and assaults

Former Israeli president Moshe Katsav has been jailed for seven years at a court in Tel Aviv for rape and other sexual offences.
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Mar 2011, 06:00 BST

He was convicted in December of raping a former employee and sexually harassing two other women who used to work for him.

He maintains he is innocent but the court rejected Katsav’s lawyers’ request for leniency, making him the highest-ranking Israeli official ever sent to jail.

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Silver-haired Katsav broke down in tears and screamed at the judges: “You made a mistake! It is a lie! The girls know it is a lie!”

In December, Tel Aviv District Court found the 65-year-old guilty of raping a former employee and sexually harassing two other women. He also was convicted of indecent acts and obstruction of justice. The court said Katsav’s record of public service would not be weighed in his favour, because he exploited his position.

Katsav denied all allegations, claiming he was a victim of a political witch hunt because he is a Sephardic Jew.

The case began nearly five years ago after a number women came forward with similar complaints.