Ref: 52/2015
Date: 10August 2015
Time: 09:00 GMT

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) strongly condemns the murder of Kh. K, from al-Zawaida village in the central Gaza Strip, on the ground of the so-called “family honor”. PCHR calls for bringing the perpetrators before justice, and taking necessary legal steps to stop such crimes.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 23:30 on Saturday, 08 August 2011, the body of Kh. K. (32), from al-Zawaida village in the central Gaza City, was brought to the al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah .

The Palestinian Police went to the crime scene in al-Zawaida village, and found the victim’s body with signs of strangulation. After that, the police arrested the victim’s brother (H.K.), 32. The body of (KH.K) was transferred to the al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah then referred to the Forensic Medicine Department at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, which reported that the victim was strangled to death.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, the Attorney General is questioning the victim’s brother for the victim’s killing on the ground of the so-called “family honor.” This crime considers is the first murder crime on the ground of the so-called “family honor” in 2015. It is worth noting that three Palestinian women were killed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory on the ground of the so-called “family honor” in 2014, two of them in the West Bank and the other one from Gaza Strip,.

PCHR views these crimes with grave concern and hopes that serious action will be taken to address the crimes.

On 15 May 2011, President Mahmoud Abbas issued a legal decree to abolish the lenient sentences issued for crimes committed on the ground “family honor.” PCHR hopes that this decree will be a step towards the elimination of such crimes, as those who commit these crimes have not been punished, but instead they enjoy the protection granted to them through eased sentences (a maximum of 3 civil years of imprisonment). This has contributed to the prevalence of such crimes in Palestinian society and has opened the door for the undermining of the rule of law.

PCHR strongly condemns this crime and:

1. Calls for a serious investigation into the death of W. M. Q. and to bring the perpetrators to justice; and
2. Calls for the prosecution of perpetrators of “family honor” murders, and reiterates that these murders must be dealt with in the same manner as other crimes of willful killing, taking into consideration international human rights standards.