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PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS: DO NOT RATIFY THA’ER RMAILAT’S DEATH SENTENCE

On 6 April 2008, the Palestinian High Military Court in Jenin sentenced Mr Tha’er Mahmoud Husni Rmailat to death by firing squad. Mr Rmailat, an officer of the Palestinian Military Intelligence, was convicted for the murder of a member of the Palestinian National Security Forces.

The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty (WCADP) is concerned that Mr Rmailat was not given the guarantees of a fair trial. In particular, his lawyer indicated that he was given only one day's notice before the hearing when the legislation of the Palestinian Authority requires that a written notice be sent 72 hours in advance; and that his client was denied a psychological evaluation.

The WCADP notes with satisfaction that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree on 22 June 2005 requesting that all death sentences pronounced by the State Security courts be retried in civilian courts as they were considered to fall short of international standards for fair trials and due process. It also notes that no execution has been carried out since July 2005.

It is concerned however that death sentences continue to be pronounced in conditions that contravene both international standards and the national legislation.

On 18 December 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution calling upon member states that maintain the death penalty to:
- Respect international standards that provide safeguards guaranteeing the protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty, in particular the minimum standards, as set out in the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1984/50 of 25 May 1984;
- Establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty.

In the spirit of the 2005 presidential decree, attached to the fair administration of justice, and of the United Nations General Assembly resolution, the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty calls upon President of the Palestinian authority Mr Mahmoud Abbas
1) not to ratify Tha’er Rmailat’s death sentence;
2) to issue a Presidential Decree declaring a moratorium on the death penalty, pending total abolition by the Palestinian Legislative Council.

(Version française)

Le 6 avril 2008, la Haute Cour Militaire palestinienne de Jenine a condamné M. Tha’er Mahmoud Husni Rmailat à être exécuté par un peloton d’exécution. M. Rmailat, un agent des services secrets militaires palestiniens, était poursuivi pour le meurtre d’un membre des forces nationales de sécurité palestiniennes.

La Coalition mondiale contre la peine de mort s’inquiète du fait que M. Rmailat n’aurait pas eu droit à un procès équitable. Son avocat a notamment indiqué qu’il n’avait été informé de la tenue de l’audience que la veille alors que la législation de l’Autorité palestinienne exige qu’une note écrite soit envoyée 72 heures à l’avance, et que son client n’avait pas eu droit à une évaluation psychologique.

La Coalition mondiale se félicite du décret pris le 22 juin 2005, par lequel le président de l’Autorité palestinienne Mahmoud Abbas a exigé que les condamnations à mort prononcées par la Cour de Sécurité de l’Etat soient examinées à nouveau par des tribunaux civils, considérant qu’elles n’étaient pas conformes aux normes internationales relatives aux procès équitables et au respect des procédures. Elle note également qu’aucune exécution n’a eu lieu depuis juillet 2005.

La Coalition s’inquiète cependant que des condamnations à mort continuent à être prononcées dans des conditions qui ne sont pas en accord avec les normes internationales et la législation nationale.

Le 18 décembre 2007, l’Assemblée générale des Nations unies a adopté une résolution appelant les Etats membres qui maintiennent la peine de mort à :
- Observer les normes internationales garantissant la protection des droits des personnes passibles de la peine de mort, en particulier les normes minimales, énoncées dans l’annexe à la résolution 1984/50 du Conseil économique et social, en date du 25 mai 1984;
- Instituer un moratoire sur les exécutions en vue de l’abolition de la peine de mort.

Dans l’esprit du décret présidentiel de 2005, attaché à une administration équitable de la justice, et de la résolution de l’Assemblée générale des Nations unies, la Coalition mondiale appelle le président de l’Autorité palestinienne M. Mahmoud Abbas à :
1) ne pas ratifier la condamnation à mort prononcée à l’encontre de M. Tha’er Rmailat
2) prendre un décret présidentiel déclarant un moratoire sur la peine de mort, en attendant l’abolition définitive de la peine capitale par le Conseil législatif palestinien.

Source : http://www.worldcoalition.org/

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