Ref: 5/2008

Date: 19 February 2008

PCHR Organizes 2 Meetings on Death Penalty under the PNA

PCHR’s Democratic Development Unit organized two meetings on “death penalty under the Palestinian National Authority (PNA)” over the past 2 days. The first one was on Monday, 18 February, in the Women’s Affairs Center in Gaza City, for 30 female university students and graduates. The second was today in PCHR’s Khan Yunis branch for 26 university graduates and civil society activists. 

The meetings are part of a series of events organized by PCHR in the context of its abolition of the death penalty project. They aim to increase public awareness and gather public opinion to abolish the death penalty in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), and to cancel legislation legalizing the death penalty. In addition, these activities aim to formulate public opinion against Israeli extra-judicial executions perpetrated in the OPT.

The meetings over the past two days discussed the strengthening international drive towards abolishing the death penalty in national legislation, and considering this form of penalty as a violation of the right to life and as a form of cruel and inhumane treatment. It is noted that on 18 December 2007, the UN General Assembly issued a decision calling for a moratorium on the death penalty as a prelude to abolition.

The meetings witnessed lengthy discussion, and opinions varied between support and opposition of the death penalty.