Prisons service to back early release for ex-president Katsav

An internal report by the Israel Prisons Service suggests former president Moshe Katsav, who is serving a seven-year prison sentence for rape, may be willing to acknowledge wrongdoing for the first time.

Katsav is set to appear before a parole hearing later this month.

The Israel Prisons Service Parole Board accepted Katsav’s request for a new hearing three months after a previous parole request was rejected. Katsav is seeking an early release in October 2017. At the last hearing, the board ruled that Katsav would be eligible to file a new request for commutation after completing a six-month in-prison rehabilitation program.

The former president, 70, was convicted on December 30, 2010, of two counts of rape, among other related charges. He began serving his sentence in December 2011, and is slated for release in December 2018.

According to Channel 2, Katsav was told on Thursday that the Israel Prisons Service would support his request for early release in a report that also took note of his change of attitude when it comes to acknowledging wrongdoing.

Katsav has consistently denied committing any offenses and has portrayed himself as a victim. His previous requests for early release were rejected in part because of his refusal to express remorse for the attacks. It was reported at the time that he had then been placed on a suicide watch and given psychological counseling.

“The board took note that the prisoner sees himself as a victim… and is busy solely with himself, his needs, his loss, and the price that he and his family have paid,” the board wrote in April, rejecting his first request.

“Even when questioned by the board, the prisoner didn’t show regret and/or empathy for the victims of the crime, but once again noted the heavy price he has paid and is paying.”

But the new report this month describes a “crack in the wall of denial,” according to Channel 2, and expresses a hope that Katsav will acknowledge his crimes and take responsibility for them.

Early parole is very common in the Israeli prison system, with a majority of prisoners managing to obtain the standard one-third reduction to their sentence for good behavior.

The Prisons Service has said Katsav’s behavior as a prisoner has been above reproach.

If the upcoming parole request is denied, Katsav’s last resort for shortening his sentence will be to appeal for a pardon by President Reuven Rivlin. The two are former Likud colleagues who served many years together in the Knesset before Katsav won the presidency.