President Reuven Rivlin seen during a tour at the Tzalmon prison, northern Israel. September 28, 2017. (Mark Neyman/GPO)
President Reuven Rivlin said on Thursday that he is considering issuing a special pardon for prisoners to mark the Jewish state’s 70th anniversary, which Israel will celebrate next year.
“I am considering the possibility of advancing a special process of pardons in honor of the country’s 70th year,” said Rivlin during a tour of the Tzalmon and Hermon prisons. “I receive quite a few pardon requests to erase a criminal record.”
He did not say, however, whom he was considering pardoning.
Rivlin also referred to the “great responsibility” he bore of being able to pardon convicted criminals.
“The power to pardon is the main power of the president. This is a great privilege, but also a great responsibility,” he said.
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President Reuven Rivlin seen during a tour at the Tzalmon prison, northern Israel. September 28, 2017. (Mark Neyman/GPO)
The president did not say whether he would consider pardoning former Israel Defense Forces soldier Elor Azaria, whose 18-month sentence was reduced to 14 months on Wednesday by IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot.
Azaria was convicted earlier this year of killing an incapacitated Palestinian assailant.
Rivlin has previously said he would weigh a pardon for the former IDF soldier if requested by Azaria himself.
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