JERUSALEM – An Israeli court has sentenced a self-proclaimed rabbi to 24 years in prison for severely abusing eight young siblings.
Elior Chen was found guilty last year of hitting the children with a hammer, binding their limbs and burning body parts, among other acts. The incidents took place in 2007 and 2008. One young boy remains in a vegetative state.
Chen was the spiritual leader of a Jerusalem group of followers who believed abusing children could "correct" them.
The Israeli court on Monday also ordered Chen to pay compensation to the children. Several followers were previously sentenced to up to 20 years in jail.
In 2008, Chen was arrested in Sao Paulo, Brazil, after fleeing Israel. He was extradited to Israel in 2009.
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