September 12, 2000
Palestinian State Security Court sentences a man to death by firing squad
Palestinian State Security Court sentences a man to death by firing squad

 

Press Release

Palestinian State Security Court sentences a man to death by firing squad

Ref: 103/2000

Date: September 12, 2000

Yesterday (Monday 11), the Palestinian State Security Court of Gaza sentenced Mohammad Daoud El-Khawaja, who is convicted of mudering Mustafa Ahmad Jebril Baroud, 70 years old, to death by firing squad. Baroud has disappeared since last Tuesday, September 5, 2000, and security services commenced investigation of his disappearance. Mohammad Daoud El-Khawaja was arrested for murdering and stealing Baroud, who was working as a money-changer. The convict, El-Khawaja, confessed that he inveigled Baroud to a house in El-Shati Refugee Camp, in the pretense of changing currencies, where he killed and stole him.

Upon a decision taken by the President of the PNA, the case was turned to the State Security Court, which held its session yesterday, September 11, 2000. The Court continued listening to testimonies of witnesses and reports of legal medicine and psychotherapy. The sentence was postponed to 8:00 p.m. of the same day, when the Court sentenced the convict to death by firing squad.

It is worth mentioning that Baroud’s family refused to receive and bury his corpse, and called for executing the murderer. Several areas of Gaza Strip witnessed demonstrations denunciating the crime and calling for executing the murderer.

While the Palestinian Center for Human Rights condemns the horrible crime which caused the death of a Palestinian citizen who was the father of a family which was a symbol for struggle against occupation and paid a high price for that, it:

 

  1. deeply regrets the horrible crime, and expresses its solidarity with the family of the deceased, his wife and his children and calls for a maximum punishment of the murderer according to law,
  2. asserts that considering such cases is of the mere jurisdiction of civil judiciary (Criminal Courts) according to Palestinian law, and that considering them by any other judiciary body overcomes relevant courts and undermines the authorities of General Prosecution,
  3. reiterates its position that State Security Courts lack the minimum standards required for fair trials, and
  4. reiterates its position which rejects death penalty, as such punishment is not a practical deterrent for crimes, as experience has proved on both the international and Palestinian levels.