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| By Israel Insider staff and partners January 31, 2007 |
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Former Justice Minister Haim Ramon was found guilty by unanimous decision of indecent conduct on Wednesday. Ramon said he will appeal the verdict.
Ramon was accused of sexually harassing a 21-year-old female soldier in the Prime Minister's office in July. After being indicted, the then justice minister resigned.
According to the judges, Ramon was untruthful and misleading while attempting to defend himself. The court's ruling was explicit and harsh towards Ramon, saying that his version of events was not credible and added that the former minister attempted to humiliate the plaintiff.
The court, in contrast, found the plaintiff's testimony to be "authentic, coherent, credible, and reliable." They ruled as such that Ramon kissed her against her will, calling this act both humiliating and intrusive.
"The complainant's account is the absolute truth," wrote judges Hayuta Kochan, Daniela Cherizli and Daniel Beeri. "Ramon, however, did not stick to the truth, exaggerated the part played by the complainant and distorted the facts in a sophisticated and savvy way."
The plaintiff testified that she knew Ramon only as an acquaintance through her work at the Prime Minister's office, and when she approached him one day to have a photo taken, he forcefully kissed her after the two had posed in a hugging position for the photo.
Ramon claimed, however, that she had flirted with him prior to the kiss, and that she is seen smiling in the photo, which serves as proof that she wasn't upset.
The court found, in agreement with the plaintiff, that the conversation wasn't flirtatious, and that there is no prescribed way to respond to a trauma.
"The prosecution had argued that the two had no prior acquaintance and that nothing in [the plaintiff's] behavior implied that she wanted Ramon to kiss her. It also claimed that a kiss between a young woman and a 56-year-old minister, minutes before a cabinet vote to go to war, is normatively problematic," reported Haaretz.
Though Ramon refused to comment as he left the courthouse, he stated on record before the verdict was decided that if he were found guilty, he would appeal the decision. He has 45 days in which to do so.
The prosecutor, Attorney Antler-Segal, was satisfied with the verdict.
"The court sent a normative message to the public, stating unequivocally that a kiss is an indecent assault. It is not in the gray area, and it is not sexual harassment."
Ynet contributed to this article. |
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