Murderer freed from Thai prison touches down in Israel, leaves
Victim's family laments state's insensitivity, perversion of justice
An Israeli who served several years in Thai prison for murdering and butchering his wife landed in Israel Thursday before immediately taking off for another, undisclosed country.
Eli Cohen was imprisoned for the 2004 murder and dismembering of his ex-wife Carol. The couple had divorced before he invited her to Thailand. After killing her he chopped up her body, put it in a suitcase and dumped it in a river.
He was granted clemency by the king of Thailand in December 2012, seven years after starting to serve his life sentence. A Bangkok court opted not to sentence the Israeli to death after being convinced the crime was committed in a moment of fury.
Because Cohen has already been convicted and punished for his crime, he cannot be tried again.
Attorney Dikla Totian Zeid, who represents Carol’s family, accused the authorities of doing nothing as justice was being perverted.
The Thai pardon took place “in a way that contradicts both justice and common sense. The killer has returned as though nothing happened,” she charged Thursday, adding it was “very unfortunate” no official thought of notifying the victim’s family members, leaving them to find out about Cohen’s release and return through the media.
The victim’s family has accused then-interior minister Eli Yishai (Shas) of lobbying with the Thai king to promote Cohen’s release.