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Press Release: Al Mezan calls on local authorities to stop issuing death sentences and comply with Palestine's international human rights law obligations

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6 June 2022 |Reference 31/2022

On Sunday morning, 5 June 2022, the Permanent Military Court in Gaza sentenced a 61-year-old man resident of the North Gaza District to death by hanging following his conviction for collaboration with hostile entities. He has been detained since 2017.

 

This ruling brought the number of death sentences issued in 2022 to nine, and to 43 since the State of Palestine ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which aims at the abolition of the death penalty, in 2019. It is worth noting that no executions have been carried out in Gaza since May 2017.

 

Al Mezan reiterates its strongest criticism of the use of the death penalty, as the practice constitutes a form of inhuman punishment contrary to international legal standards. It is also widely regarded as ineffective in preventing or deterring serious crime. Also, this punishment violates Palestine’s obligations under international human rights law that arise from the State’s accession to international treaties, especially the ICCPR and the Convention Against Torture (CAT).

 

Al Mezan calls on all competent Palestinian authorities to immediately stop issuing death sentences, to completely abolish the practice, and to apply more efficient punishments in compliance with Palestine’s international obligations.

 

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