Israeli ex-prez Katsav, jailed for rape, seeks pardon

Israeli ex-president Moshe Katsav, in prison for rape and other sexual offences, has asked the current head of state for a pardon, President Reuven Rivlin’s office said on Sunday.

“A request for pardon arrived at the president’s office on Sunday,” it said in a brief statement.

“As is the custom with every request for a pardon it has been passed for  handling to the presidential legal department,” the statement added. Katsav, the first Israeli head of state to be sent to prison, was jailed in 2011 for  seven years on two counts of rape as well as sexual harassment, indecent acts 

and obstruction of justice.