Palestinian Territories: Hamas sentences three Palestinians in Gaza to death
A Palestinian detainee in a prison in Gaza (Illustration).
REUTERS - Suhaib Salem
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
Hamas, in power in the Gaza Strip, has just sentenced three Palestinians to death.
Two of them for "collaboration with Israel", and the third for drug trafficking.
This is the second time in less than two weeks that the Islamist movement has passed such sentences.
Palestinian human rights organizations say they are very worried.
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With our correspondent in Jerusalem,
Sami Boukhelifa
Contacted in Gaza, Samir Zaqout, does not mince his words. He is the deputy director of the NGO Al Mezan, a human rights organization based in the Palestinian enclave. “
Unfortunately, these death sentences are becoming a grim routine. Each time we denounce them. And once again, we demand the abolition of the death penalty. This law must be removed from Palestinian criminal law. And until that is done, the death sentences must be suspended, as has been the case in the West Bank since 2005
”.
In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Authority has acceded to treaties, and signed international protocols, for the abolition of the death penalty. Hamas in Gaza is legally bound to obtain the approval of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, before passing such sentences, explains Samir Zaqout. “
The Palestinian Authority, in principle, has decision-making power in Gaza. Hiding behind
: "
It is Hamas that holds power in Gaza", does not exempt the State of Palestine from its international commitments. The Palestinian Authority must do more. Because when she really wants to, she finds common ground with Hamas. In Gaza, it is she who manages the sectors of health, education and many other ministries
.
Since the start of this year, Hamas has handed down more than 20 death sentences in Gaza, according to the NGO AL Mezan.
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Palestinian territories
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