The EU Missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah condemned the death sentences issued by the Hamas authority in Gaza against three Gazans on 9 March. This brings the number of death sentences issued in Gaza to 11, since September 2022. ‘We call on the de facto authorities in Gaza to comply with the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) ratified by Palestine in 2019, which aims at the abolition of the death penalty,’ said an EU statement. The EU Missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah recalled their firm opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances and in all countries. The EU considered that the abolition of the death penalty contributes to the protection of human dignity and the progressive development of human rights. It considered capital punishment to be cruel and inhuman, that it fails to provide deterrence to criminal behavior, and represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity.
Source: Palestine News & Information Agency