Ex-president Katsav loses appeal to ease parole terms

Despite having stuck to terms of release, disgraced politician still banned from leaving home at night until 2018

Former president and convicted rapist Moshe Katsav lost his appeal on Thursday to ease the terms of his parole, including being allowed to leave his home at night.

Even though the Prisoner Rehabilitation Authority reported in February that the disgraced politician was sticking to the terms of his release, the parole board rejected his appeal to loosen the restrictions placed upon him.

The former president, 71, was convicted in 2010 of two counts of rape among other related charges. He began serving his sentence in Ma’asiyahu Prison in December 2011. He was freed from prison in December after serving five years of a seven-year jail sentence.

Under the terms of his parole, Katsav is barred from leaving his home in Kiryat Malachi between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. In addition Katsav is not allowed to make any statements to the media until December 2018, when his full seven-year sentence would have ended.

The former president is also banned from leaving the country, must attend rehab and must visit a psychologist once a week. He is also required to attend daily Torah study sessions. He also has to check in with a parole officer every month.