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UN rights chief denounces Hamas executions

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Friday decried the recent decision by Hamas to execute several of its prisoners. On Thursday, the de-facto government of Palestinian Gaza executed Naser Abu Furaih and Mohamed al-Sabaa, both of whom were convicted of treason last February in connection with the Israeli occupation of Gaza. Pillay, who said that she was "alarmed" by reports that Hamas planned to execute several more prisoners soon, called on the Islamist authority to abolish the use of the death penalty: It is extremely disappointing that Hamas is contemplating a return to the use of the death penalty, despite the fact that no officially-sanctioned death sentences have been carried out in Gaza since 2005. ... I call on Hamas to reconsider its position and exhibit respect for the international community's firm rejection of the death penalty ... and to fully uphold and promote the right to life.Human rights groups have also denounced the executions. On Thursday, Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem condemned Hamas, saying that the prisoners' trial "did not meet even minimal standards of due process." Also Thursday, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) said that any execution conducted without the ratification of Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the secular Palestinian National Authority (PNA), was unconstitutional.Hamas has recently fallen under fire from human rights groups recently for its failure to conduct an independent investigation into accusations of war crimes during the January 2009 Gaza conflict. The UN called on the Islamist authority to conduct a thorough investigation in a report last October.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on April 16, 2010 (boomark / email).