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: