JERUSALEM, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Omri Sharon, the elder son of coma-stricken Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, on Thursday appealed against a nine-month prison sentence.

    Omri was sentenced in mid-February to nine months in jail plus a 300,000 shekels (67,000 U.S. dollars) fine by Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court for raising illegal contributions to his father's 1999 campaign for the Likud Party leadership.

    In his appeal to Tel Aviv District Court, Omri argued that he had already been punished as he had resigned his seat in the Knesset (parliament). He also expressed regret for his actions, Israeli newspaper Ha'aretze reported.

    To allow time for an appeal and out of consideration for Ariel Sharon's illness, Judge Edna Bekenstein deferred executing the sentence until Sept. 1.

    Israeli legal sources said that had it not been for the prime minister's condition, the sentence might well have been even stiffer.

    Ariel Sharon has been in a coma since suffering a massive stroke in early January.

    Omri Sharon was convicted of a number of serious violations, among them fictitious registration of corporate documents, which carries the maximum five-year term; lying under oath and violations of the election code, which are punishable by fines. Enditem