Brother of Rabin's murderer denied parole

Parole board members decide Hagai Amir did not abandon ways, his early parole could endanger public safety. Without parole, brother of PM's killer is to be released in 2012

Vered Luvitch|Published: 08.17.06 , 18:46

The parole board of the Israeli Prison Service accepted the prosecutor's claim to postpone the request of the brother of the prime minister's murderer, Hagai Amir, for parole, after having served two-thirds of his sentence.

The board held that Amir did not express remorse for his acts, did not abandon his dangerous ways, and therefore postponed his request. Hagai Amir was sentenced to 16 and a half years in prison after he was found guilty of being linked to the assassination of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and other crimes. The date of his release, without parole, is 2012.

In April, Amir was sentenced for an additional year in prison, in the Netanya Magistrate's Court, after he was found guilty of threatening former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

The State Prosecutor's Office representative asserted that Amir's release constitutes a tangible danger to public safety and to its leaders. Similarly, he claimed that his behavior in prison was inappropriate, and therefore it is fitting to use the clause that states to "not grant parole to a prisoner who may cause significant harm to the public's faith in the justice system."

The State Prosecutor's Office provided the board with privileged information. The state further claimed that Amir did not abandon his political stance. On the other hand, Amir's attorney claimed the convict did abandon his political ideals, and there is no likelihood of recidivism.

The parole board, with retired Judge Amiram Sharon presiding, ruled that all the information leads to an unequivocal conclusion that Amir did not abandon his ways and his ideals, and that his early parole may pose a threat to public safety.

"The fact that the convict, while incarcerated, repeatedly threatened to kill the prime minister, leads the board to this conclusion. In fact, it is expected that the offender will abstain from any acts that may point to his loyalty to his acts and intentions. The offender carried on his deviant way.

"How is it even possible to declare that this offender has deserted his ways, not to mention expressed guilt or regret. We studied the convict's statements, and have not found any direct, practical or obvious remorse over his acts."

Amir family: we did not expect Hagai paroled

In their decision, the board members pointed out that even on Thursday, Amir was given an opportunity to express regret over his acts. "Even today, the convict reiterated his political stance, by slandering governmental institutions, and we did not get the impression that he has understood the error of his ways and he even maintains his defiant principles. His claim that he is against violence is not supported by his acts."

Amitai Amir, Hagai's younger brother, said he expected the board's decision.

"Nobody in the family expected that there would be a fair decision after the humiliating sentence he received for the ridiculous offence of threatening to murder Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. In this case we were convinced they would falsely accuse Hagai just to deny him parole.

"Hagai was meant to be home without delay. He was an exemplary prisoner throughout all these years, but when they want to deny the claim and prove the opposite, they simply get an intelligence file with privileged information so they don't have to admit that he was an exemplary prisoner."

The younger brother said there is a constant pursuit after his brother: "The pursuit is meant to suppress the first signs of a revolution that will happen when everyone will realize that what the Amir brothers predicted is happening word for word. The recent war is a result of the same policies that the brothers warned us against. To suppress that they are using their power to abuse and lead a constant pursuit."