The High Court of Justice rejected Thursday Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto's appeal against the District Court decision to cancel the Parole Board's decision to release him.
Originally the Parole Board had agreed to release Rabbi Pinto, head of the Shuva Yisrael institutions, on suspended sentence, but the District Court revoked that decision after the State appealed the Parole Board decision.
High Court judge Uzi Fogelman who adjudicated Rav Pinto's appeal, ruled that, in contrast to Rabbi Pinto's claim that he had not been included in group therapy due to the short term of his prison sentence, the real reason he had not been included related to his own individual circumstances.
Moreover Fogelman said that in contrast to other claims by Rabbi Pinto, the District Court had not asked to "receive covert information which had not been available to the Parole Board when they made their decision."
Fogelman concluded by stating that "I have not overlooked the appellant's claim that he has suffered a deterioration in his health recently. Obviously, this decision does not prevent him from presenting a further request for a temporary release due to his health situation. However, I did not express any opinion regarding such a request if it would be presented.