Shas leader Minister Eli Yishai has turned to President Shimon Peres to pardon former party minister, R� Shlomo Benizri, who was sentenced to four years in prison and a fine following a fraud, bribery & breach of office conviction.

The state appealed Benizri�s original verdict, claiming it was too lenient, and the High Court concurred, increasing the prison sentence from 18 months to 4 years.

The Ometz organization has petitioned the president not to entertain Shas� clemency request.

(Yechiel Spira � YWN Israel)