State appeals shortening of rapist’s sentence

Zahar was convicted in the Military Appeals Court in 2006 of raping and sexually assaulting a junior female officer.

By JOANNA PARASZCZUK
Court gavel justice judge legal law 311 (photo credit: Thinkstock/Imagebank)
Court gavel justice judge legal law 311
(photo credit: Thinkstock/Imagebank)
The State Attorney’s Office revealed on Wednesday it had filed a petition to the High Court of Justice against the recent ruling by a military judicial panel to take 18 months off Pvt. Ataf Zahar’s six-year rape sentence.
Zahar was convicted in the Military Appeals Court in Tel Aviv’s Kirya military headquarters in 2006 of raping and sexually assaulting a junior female officer.
In addition to his prison term, Zahar was ordered to pay NIS 35,000 in compensation and was reduced to the rank of private from colonel.
In 2007, the Supreme Court had rejected an appeal by Zahar against his conviction.
The petition, filed by state prosecutor Hila Gorni, argues that the ruling, which leaves Zahar serving a four-year term, is unreasonable.
The term should reflect the serious injury to the army’s confidence in its commanding officers, the petition said.
The state prosecution also alleges that the panel’s decision to mitigate Zahar’s sentence contains many flaws, including regarding Zahar’s chances of rehabilitation.
The High Court is set to debate the matter next Monday.