Ref: 51/2006

Date:  24 September 2006    

PCHR Organizes A Workshop on the Death Penalty Under the Palestinian National Authority

On Sunday, 24 September 2006, PCHR organized a workshop on the death penalty under the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). The workshop, which was attended by at least 5 representatives of civil society organizations and human rights defenders, was held at the offices of Sharek Youth Forum in Rafah.

This workshop, which was the second of its kind, was held in the context of a series of activities organized by PCHR for the World Day against Torture on 10 October. PCHR had organized a similar workshop at its offices in Khan Yunis on Thursday, 21 September 2006.

During the workshop, Dr. Tariq Mukhimer, a researcher at PCHR Democratic Development Unit, presented a position paper prepared by PCHR on the death penalty under the PNA. He talked about the death penalty under international human rights instruments, emphasizing that it violates the right to life and constitutes a form of cruel punishment prohibited under the Convention against Torture. Dr. Mukhimer criticized the application of the death penalty under the PNA and called for its abolishment.    

It is worth noting that 76 death sentences have been issued since the establishment of the PNA in 1994. The vast majority of these sentences have been issued by State Security Courts and martial courts, which lack the minimum standards of fair trials, such as the right of the accused to have appropriate defending. Twelve of these sentences have been implemented.

The participants emphasized the importance of raising the issue of the death penalty, especially under the current state of security chaos in the Palestinian society. They highly appreciated PCHR’s efforts to abolish the death penalty, and called for joint community efforts to pressure decision-makers to reconsider Palestinian legislations that allow the application of the death penalty and to reinforce the rule of law.