According to PCHR's follow-up, the Minister of Interior in Gaza, Fathi Hammad, stated yesterday, 24 March 2010, in an interview with the local Al-Quds Radio, which was published on the Ministry of Interior's website,[1] that the issue of collaborators witnessed a new development as they were interrogated and their legal files were completed. Besides, some of them were sentenced to imprisonment, while others were sentenced to death. He added that the coming period would witness the implementation of death penalties and the government is not restricted by the stances of human rights organizations.

The Ministry of Interior's website quoted, yesterday, 24 March 2010, the appointed Attorney-General in Gaza, Counselor Mohammed 'Abed,[2] saying that the General Prosecution Office in the Gaza Strip has started to ratify death sentences issued against collaborators with Israel and those who committed willful killing crimes. According to the website, the Attorney-General in Gaza talked about drug dealers, who were arrested in the Gaza Strip, saying: "We will execute those who accepted to kill their people."

PCHR is extremely concerned over those statements, which clarify the Gaza government's tendency to apply the death penalty, and therefore:

1. Confirms that the ratification of death sentences is an exclusive right of the President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) under the Code of Criminal Procedures (3) of 2001; in addition, implementation of death sentences without the President's ratification constitutes a form of extra-judicial killing.

2. Reiterates its position rejecting the death penalty, which is a grave and unjustified violation of the right to life and a form of torture and inhumane and cruel treatment. Death penalty is not a deterrent to crime as seen in the experiences of other states applying this penalty.

3. Reiterates its position that the PNA has a duty to prosecute those who collaborate with Israel as they are considered part of the occupation and one of its most dangerous tools deeply rooted amidst the Palestinian people. Abolishment of the death penalty does no mean being tolerant with them; however, a deterrent penalty, which maintains our humanity, should be considered.

4. Points out to the international developing trends to abolish the death penalty at the international level and the necessity of joining such trends and conjugating Palestinian efforts to abolish death penalty.

5. Any attempt to overcome the authorities of the President under any justification serves only to deepen internal fragmentation.