Ref: 62/2012

On Tuesday, 10 June 2012, the Palestinian
Center for Human Rights (PCHR) received a delegation from the Representative
Office of Norway to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). The delegation
was headed by Mr. Hans Jacob Frydenlund, Head of the Representative Office.

Mr. Hamdi Shaqqura, PCHR’s Deputy Director for
Program Affairs, met with the delegation at PCHR’s head office in Gaza City.  He briefed them on the human rights situation
in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), highlighting the unprecedented
deterioration of the Palestinians’ human rights which are ensured under
international human rights instruments. 
He explained that such deterioration is the outcome of the policies and
practices of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF).

The meeting also addressed the Palestinian
elections.  Two main issues which the
Palestinian arena witnessed lately were discussed: suspension of the registration
of voters for the elections in the Gaza Strip and the declaration of the date
of the local elections in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.  Mr. Shaqqura focused in his speech on PCHR’s
position towards these two issues.

Mr. Shaqqura expressed PCHR’s criticism of
Hamas government’s decision that was issued on 02 July 2012 to suspend the
registration process.  He emphasized
PCHR’s absolute opposition to any intervention by political powers in the
technical work of the Central Elections Commission.  He called for elections to be transparent and
impartial, including measures related to recruitment of the registration staff
and the guarantee that non-governmental organizations would monitor the
elections according to the law.

Concerning the declaration issued by the
Palestinian Council of Ministers, in which the elections of local councils were
scheduled to be organized on 20 October 2012, Mr. Shaqqura emphasized again
PCHR’s position opposing holding the elections before the achievement of the
reconciliation.  He highlighted that PCHR
believes that the appropriate atmosphere for holding free and fair elections
that reflect the will of the Palestinian people would not be accomplished
without the reconciliation.