Israel: President Returns Netanyahu's Clemency Request, Seeks Additional Information

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has returned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's clemency request regarding his ongoing corruption trial. The president's legal advisor, Michal Tsuk, has requested additional information from the Ministry of Justice's Clemency Department to examine the request. This information pertains to previous cases of granting clemency before the completion of legal proceedings, including those linked to diplomatic initiatives or hostage releases. The presidency clarifies that the request for supplementary material is part of the professional assessment required before formulating a recommendation to the president and does not indicate any bias regarding the clemency request. The examination will continue according to established procedures after receiving the responses. The Clemency Department had previously completed a legal memorandum regarding the request, concluding that it is a particularly problematic and unprecedented case. This is due to the fact that Netanyahu's trial is ongoing, there is no conviction, nor admission of guilt or expression of remorse. Furthermore, the department noted that the request is largely based on arguments of public interest related to diplomacy and security, which it is unable to evaluate. It also warned that granting clemency in such a case could undermine the principle of equality before the law.