Lawyer: Katsav was already tried by cannibalistic media

Former president Moshe Katzav is convinced he was the victim of media demonization and has been unfairly charged due to his lifetime political career in the public eye.

During the second day of the former president's appeal to the Supreme Court of his conviction on rape and other sexual offenses, the former president interrupted the justices, saying, "The prosecution has said that if this were the case of a regular citizen then no charges would have been filed."

Katsav, attorney Zion Amir argued, was "demonized" and tried by the public through the "cannibalistic" media long before his actual trial ever began.

Focusing on the non-rape related charges Wednesday, Zion alleged that "Katsav was convicted for giving a hug."

"Has there ever been another case in the history of Israel where a court heard an indictment over a hug?" he asked the judges.

He said that "Lamed" didn't complain at the time of the alleged hugs and didn't remember during her testimony if there were two or three hugs.

"Lamed wasn't lying about the hug, he said, "it just wasn't sexual."

The defense attorney added that colleagues who were present did not see Lamed appearing upset after the hug, saying that "if [Supreme Court Justice] Joubran were to hug me, I would show that I was upset."

Speaking of the prison sentence handed down to the former president, Zion said that he had already been imprisoned in his home for five years, his respect has been destroyed .. he's been a victim and punished by canibalism," referring to the media attention on the case.

In the first session of the appeal earlier this week, Katsav's attorney argued that his client, the former president, may have lied during his trial and suggested that he may have indeed had sexual relations with the victim, Aleph, albeit consensually.