Lawyers acting for suspected Israeli spies Uriel Kelman and Eli Cara, sentenced to six months' imprisonment last week for passport fraud, have lodged an appeal.
It is understood to be thought necessary due to procedural considerations while the lawyers wait for reasons on a ruling from Justice Judith Potter on a pre-trial application.
The appeal was lodged by Grant Illingworth, QC, for Kelman, and Stuart Grieve, QC, for Cara, to preserve the Israelis' position.
The men pleaded guilty and were convicted in the High Court at Auckland on July 2, but Mr Illingworth said yesterday that the pleas were entered without knowledge of Justice Potter's reasons for her ruling on the pre-trial application.
"It is an appeal against conviction only. It's not an appeal against sentence. It is simply to preserve our position to argue, if we think fit, if it appears it is appropriate, that the pre-trial rulings were incorrect."
Herald investigation: Passport
Convicted Israelis lodge appeal
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