Press release
The International Commission (ICSPR): A new death sentence in the Gaza Strip … The Commission demands a commitment to international agreements
The International Commission to Support Palestinians’ Rights (ICSPR) condemns the issuance of a new death sentence by the Court of First Instance in the Gaza Strip. According to the Commission’s information, the Gaza Court of First Instance issued a death sentence this Sunday morning, 2 November 2020, by hanging on the citizen S A “28 years old”, from Abraj Al Nada in the town of Beit Hanoun, in the case of the murder of the citizen Abdel Fattah Ahmed in 2016, where it sentenced the convicted person by hanging for the charge of intentional murder and robbery, where he admitted that he hit the old man with a stick on his head in order to steal 11 thousand dollars he had after selling an apartment, and after the deceased was killed, the killer discovered that the amount was not in the old man’s possession, but had deposited it in the bank through one of his sons.
With this ruling, the number of death sentences has increased since the beginning of this year and until the time of issuing this statement to (19) death sentences, including 14 new ones, and five in support of previous ones. (28) judgments have been implemented since the division in the Gaza Strip, without the approval of the Palestinian president, in contravention of the law.
ICSPR while it does not diminish the seriousness of the crimes that have been attributed to the accused and citizens against whom death sentences have been issued, and despite its opposition to the death penalty and death sentences, it draws attention to the need to stop issuing death sentences, and to stop implementing sentences without the president’s approval, and work to accommodate Palestinian legislation that expanded punishment. ICSPR calls on the State of Palestine to draw inspiration from international experiences and work to formally freeze the death penalty, in preparation for its abolition from the Palestinian legal system in line with international human rights standards and the obligations of the State of Palestine under its ratification of international conventions and the second protocol attached to the International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights, and to ensure that this punishment is replaced with alternative punishments that guarantee the rights of victims of crime and corrective criminal justice.
The International Commission to Support Palestinians’ Rights (ICSPR) condemns in the strongest possible terms the issuance of a death sentence, as these measures constitute a violation of Palestinian law, international human rights law and international conventions ratified by Palestine, especially the Second Protocol of 1989 attached to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights regarding the abolition of the death penalty, it:
- ICSPR calls on the judicial authorities in the Gaza Strip to stop issuing death sentences, in preparation for its abolition from Palestinian legislation.
- ICSPR commends the Palestinian President’s position not to ratify any death sentence, and affirms that ratification of death sentences is his exclusive authority according to the law, and no death sentence may be executed without such approval.
- ICSPR calls on the Palestinian president to issue a law decree suspending the application of the provisions for death sentences in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, until an elected legislative authority receives the authority to legislate and work to abolish this punishment from Palestinian legislation.
- ICSPR reminds you of the importance of the Palestinian authorities fulfilling their obligations in the field of harmonizing national laws with the international conventions they have acceded to, including the Second Protocol to the International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights concerning the abolition of the death penalty.
