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Former PM Ehud Olmert seeks presidential pardon

Olmert is seeking a presidential pardon and erasure of his criminal record.

By: TPS

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert submitted a request for a pardon from President Reuven Rivlin on Monday, asking for erasure of his criminal record.

“A request for a pardon on behalf of Ehud Olmert asking for the annulment of the criminal record in his case was submitted today,” the President’s Residence said in a statement. “The application has been forwarded to the relevant bodies and after the required legal opinions are submitted, the President will make his ruling.”

Last July, Olmert was released from prison after serving 16 months of a 27-month sentence for fraud and bribery.

Olmert, who served as prime minister from 2006 to 2009, was convicted for accepting a NIS 60,000 (approximately $17,000) bribe when he served as Industry, Trade and Labor minister, and for obstructing court proceedings.

Olmert returned to the public eye last month with the release of his autobiography, In the First Person (“Beguf Rishon”), in which he insisted there was a conspiracy to oust him as prime minister because he had wanted to sign a peace agreement with the Palestinians.