Judging Katsav

The refusal to release former president Moshe Katsav (“Rapist Katsav denied parole,” August 5) absolutely reeks of corruption.

Is there a law somewhere that says a prisoner must grovel and beg for what lesser offenders are given? Do they think they will change the facts by forcing him to admit to what he knows to be false?

Katsav maintains he did not rape “Alef.” Nothing short of brain surgery will get him to say he did when he knows he did not.

Several gleeful officials with too much power and political axes to grind keep themselves busy and persist in coming up with justifications for his continued imprisonment. The new decision, that he “needs treatment,” is a last-minute stumbling block cooked up by those who, for whatever reason, are looking for ways to satisfy their own personal agenda.

Zionist Union MK Shelly Yacimovich says “there is true equality before the law, no matter who the prisoner is.” She knows very well that if the prisoner were not a highly-placed person, he would be judged differently – and even-handedly. MARCELLA WACHTEL

Jerusalem

The slogan “Never underestimate the power of a woman” is certainly in evidence with the case of former president Moshe Katsav. Why does the hatred of women and their powerful organizations have so much influence on the parole commission?

I plead for former president Katsav to be allowed to go home in peace to his family. TOBY WILLIG Jerusalem

What a front-page headline! “Former president Katsav denied parole” would have been more appropriate.

What a shame you needed to cheapen your newspaper with one word when the reason for the denial of his parole was explained only later. OLGA P. WIND Holon