A statement for immediate release
Issued by Human Rights and Democracy Media Center “SHAMS”
About affirming death penalty upon a citizen by the Court of Cassation
“SHAMS” center convicts affirming death sentence by the Court of Cassation, upon the citizen (A/M) in Gaza on Wednesday June 7th of 2017. Who is accused of intentional killing of the citizen Sami Alrawagh 33 years old, and processioning a fire weapon without permission during an illegal occasion. And annoying the public relief as well as shooting in a crowded place, which break the law articles.
“SHAMS” center assures its support and solidarity with families and parents of victims. It clarifies that calling for abolition of the death sentence against perpetrators in serious crimes doesn’t indicate tolerating them, but replacing the death sentence with other punishment to respect individuals’ humanity and dignity. The capital punishment represents the cruelest form of intentional murder. It is irreversible, the risk of executing an innocent person can never be eliminated. While people who were sent to death row have later been exonerated sometimes.
“SHAMS” center puts emphasis on respecting the efforts and approaches of the Palestinian leaders aiming to accede human rights conventions which guarantee the right to life. The center appeals to the Palestinian National Authority PNA to sign the Second Optional Protocol of 1989, annexed to the International Convenant on political and Civil Rights, on the abolition of death penalty. Moreover, the center appeals to the Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas so as not to ratify death sentences, and to use his constitutional powers to abolish death penalty from the Palestinian legislations.
“END”