Former Israeli president granted early prison release

Moshe Katsav, former Israeli president

Disgraced former Israeli President, Moshe Katsav, was granted early release from prison on Sunday after serving more than two-thirds of his seven-year sentence, according to Israel Radio.

The 71-year-old Katsav, who was convicted for rape and sexual harassment, is expected to be released for parole within a week, local media reported.

Sunday’s request was his third appeal for an early release since he first entered Ma’asayahu prison in 2011.

Katsav has maintained that the accusations against him are false, and during trial, he rejected a plea bargain that would have seen him convicted on lesser charges, saying he wanted to prove his innocence.

Katsav, who served as president from 2000 to 2007, was convicted in 2010 on two counts of rape.

The woman, identified in court only as “A’’, was his office manager when he was the Tourism Minister in 1998.

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