A statement for immediate release
Issued by Human Rights and Democracy Media Center “SHAMS”
About inflicting death penalty upon a citizen by the Court of First Instance in Deir-Albalah
“SHAMS” center strongly deplores inflicting death by hanging upon the citizen (Musab Osama Mahmoud Abu Haniyeh 27 years old ) a resident in An-nuserat Camp, by the Court of First Instance in in Deir-Albalah on July 10th of 2018 after he was found guilty of murder. This sentence is considered as the second one issued following Palestine’s instrument of accession to the Second Optional Protocol annexed to International Covenant on Civil and Political rights of 1989 deposited on 6/6/2018.
“SHAMS” center stresses that much remained to be done before the abolition of the capital punishment. In light of the deteriorated conditions in relevant to this punishment and the lack of respect by the judicial power to the directions of the executive power in regard to the obligations of the State of Palestine’s obligations on the international arena and before international foundations & international non-governmental organizations. This requires making further efforts and actions by the Palestinian civil society organizations in order to raise awareness on the dangers of implementing this penalty continuously in the Palestinian territories, and the criticism that PA faces before the international Community.
“SHAMS” Center calls for the abolition of this inhumane penalty from the legislations applied in the State of Palestine, in addition to amending the Palestinian constitution in regard to the respect for the right to life and prevention of death penalty. In addition to issuing a Penal Code free of death penalty. Given this recklessness and disregard for the lives of citizens, represented by inflicting death penalty breaking the constitution & the law since these penalties are issued without assuring fair trial guarantees.
“END”