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5 Iyar 5759 - April 21, 1999 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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Deri Gets Four Years, NIS 250,000 Fine

by Yated Ne'eman Staff

Shas party officials are saying that MK Arye Deri will continue as their leader, despite being sentenced to four years in prison and fined NIS 250,000 for accepting bribes.

The court agreed to postpone implementation of the prison sentence until the Supreme Court rules on Deri's appeal.

The secular court also determined that Deri's activities entailed "moral turpitude," a ruling that now prohibits him from serving as a minister for 10 years.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu indicated to reporters that he would still be open to discussing formation of a coalition with Shas--if he wins next month's elections--because Deri's appeal has yet to be heard.

Co-defendant R' Moshe Weinberg was sentenced to one year in jail and one year suspended. The judges agreed to postpone implementation of the jail sentence until the Supreme Court rules on his appeal. Weinberg's father, R' Arye, was given a two years' suspended sentence and fined NIS 50,000.

R' Yom Tov Rubin was sentenced to six months, which may be converted to public service, and a year's suspended sentence.

MK Deri can continue to serve as an MK while serving his prison sentence. While the procedure to oust him from the Knesset is quite complicated, he could be suspended through a much simpler process.

The June 1995 amendments to the parliamentary immunity legislation, which prevent a convicted criminal from continuing as an MK, do not apply in Deri's case--the offenses he was found guilty of were committed before the law went into effect.

Inbar noted that the law also allows him to be reelected even after his conviction.


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