Ref: 149/2007

Date: 28 October  2007

Time: 09:30 GMT

3 Young Women Killed in Qalqilya in 2 “Honor Killing” Crimes

PCHR strongly condemns the murder of 3 young women in Qalqilya in 2 “honor killing” crimes last week. The Centre calls for pursuing and prosecuting the perpetrators; and calls for taking effective legal steps to deter these crimes that have escalated over the past two years, especially in the Gaza Strip.

The Center’s preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 14:00 on Thursday, 25 October 2007, the bodies of Sima Mohammad Ali El-Adel (27) and her sister Eman (25) were found in their house in the center of Qalqilya. Later during the same day, the Palestinian General Intelligence Service announced the arrest of the victims’ brother, who confessed during questioning to murdering his sisters in an “honor killing.”

In another crime, the body of Wafa Abdallah Wahdan (29) was found at approximately 8:00 on Monday (22 October) in the garbage dump east of Qalqilya. The Palestinian Police announced in a press conference two days later that 3 suspects have been detained in the murder. The Police stated that the suspects confessed to murdering the victim in an “honor killing” despite the fact that they are not directly related to her.

PCHR strongly condemns these two crimes, and:

-         Calls for seriously investigating the murders of the 3 young women and to prosecute the perpetrators.

-         Points with concern to the recurrence of “honor killings” in the OPT due to the impunity granted to the murderers through reduced sentences. The highest sentence given is 3 years in civilian court, a total of 24 months.

-         Calls for taking deterring steps against “honor killings” and treating it as an ordinary murder crime in line with international human rights standards; noting that “honor killings” are used as a cover to receive reduced sentences.