Former IDF Sergeant Elor Azariya is scheduled to appear before a parole board Wednesday in a bid to secure an early release that could potentially see him released from prison immediately.
Azariya has served half of his 14-month term, and based on the recommendations of prison officials, qualifies for an early release due to his clean record since he arrived in the IDF’s Prison 4 seven months ago.
Army prosecutors, however, are expected to oppose Azariya’s request for an immediate release, but may agree to parole for the former IDF soldier after he has completed two-thirds of his sentence, paving the way for Azariya to be freed by late May.
An IDF judge will preside over Wednesday’s hearing and rule on Azariya’s parole request. If Azariya’s request is accepted, he will be released from prison in a few days.
Azariya was convicted of manslaughter in January 2017 for the shooting death of a wounded Arab terrorist shortly after an attack in Hevron that left one soldier wounded during the Purim holiday in March, 2016.
In February 2017, an IDF court sentenced Azariya to 18 months in prison. That sentence was reduced, however, after Azariya’s legal defense team appealed to IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot, who slashed four months from the prison sentence.
Azariya began serving his sentence last August, and will have completed half of his 14-month prison sentence next week.
Earlier this month, prison officials praised Azariya for his ‘exemplary’ behavior, and recommended that he be considered for early release.
“Elor’s behavior has been exemplary throughout his prison term, and thus was permitted to take vacation leaves [from prison] every 28 days,” the report reads, “starting from his very first month.”