Four Arutz-7 directors and broadcasters have filed an appeal against their conviction over three months ago of operating an unlicensed radio station. The four are: Rabbi Zalman Melamed, Chairman of Arutz-7's Board of Directors; News Department Head Haggai Segal; French Department Head David Shapira; and music broadcaster Gidi Sharon.
The four maintain that their conviction was based on false and purposeful testimony by Communications Ministry personnel, and that they "did not violate any criminal law; they acted for a worthy goal, while preserving the law, on the one hand, and by insisting on their sacred right to freedom of expression, on the other."
Similarly, the companies that operated the ship from where the broadcasts emanated have appealed against the heavy fines levied upon them.
The appeal also states that the ship "sailed for many years on 'calm waters,' with Prime Ministers and government ministers and others visiting it and speaking on Arutz-7's airwaves." Others of the ten convicted Arutz-7 workers are also likely to appeal in the near future.
Yesterday, the State Prosecution appealed the "lenient" sentences handed down against four defendants: Executive-Director Yaakov (Ketzaleh) Katz, Programming Director Shulamit Melamed, Engineer Ya'ir Meir, and News Editor Haggai Segal. The Prosecution also asks for higher fines against the ship's operating companies - which currently stand at a total of 450,000 shekels.
Four of the defendants were sentenced to 3-6 months of community service each. The ten were also fined between 20,000 and 50,000 shekels each, in addition to Arutz-7 corporate fines to the tune of 450,000 shekels.
The four maintain that their conviction was based on false and purposeful testimony by Communications Ministry personnel, and that they "did not violate any criminal law; they acted for a worthy goal, while preserving the law, on the one hand, and by insisting on their sacred right to freedom of expression, on the other."
Similarly, the companies that operated the ship from where the broadcasts emanated have appealed against the heavy fines levied upon them.
The appeal also states that the ship "sailed for many years on 'calm waters,' with Prime Ministers and government ministers and others visiting it and speaking on Arutz-7's airwaves." Others of the ten convicted Arutz-7 workers are also likely to appeal in the near future.
Yesterday, the State Prosecution appealed the "lenient" sentences handed down against four defendants: Executive-Director Yaakov (Ketzaleh) Katz, Programming Director Shulamit Melamed, Engineer Ya'ir Meir, and News Editor Haggai Segal. The Prosecution also asks for higher fines against the ship's operating companies - which currently stand at a total of 450,000 shekels.
Four of the defendants were sentenced to 3-6 months of community service each. The ten were also fined between 20,000 and 50,000 shekels each, in addition to Arutz-7 corporate fines to the tune of 450,000 shekels.