Defense sources: Executed Palestinians were not collaborators

[drdon326]

The executions, the first carried out by the PA since 2001, are part of what a government spokesman said was a new campaign to rein in lawlessness and chaos.

The four men executed were sentenced to death by a Palestinian court, said Interior Ministry spokesman Tawfiq Abu Khoussa. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas signed the execution orders on Saturday, he added. Three of the men were hanged and one was executed by a firing squad.

The PA rejected initial reports that the men executed had been convicted of collaboration with Israel. The executions came less than two weeks after Israel agreed to free 400 jailed Palestinians on condition that the death sentences on 50 Palestinians convicted of collaboration with Israel would not be carried out.

PA sources said Sunday that there was no PA-Israeli agreement preventing execution of convicted collaborators.

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/587296.html

.................................................................

HMMMM.....
They were arrested as "collaborators"
Tried as "collaborators"
convicted as "collaborators"
but they werent executed as "collaborators".

Interesting system of justice.

[Behind the Aegis]

1. Promise breaking...

...its not just for Israelis anymore...but will anyone take notice?

[drdon326]

2. I knew you'd like this thread......

amazing , isn't it?

The big question.......will the UN,the UNCHR,the ICJ and the EU condemn STATE SPONSORED EXECUTION ??

[Behind the Aegis]

3. the big answer

when cats and dogs marry or, in other words, when ice skating becomes popular in Hell.

[Behind the Aegis]

17. Wrong!

I thought I would be polite and save others from having to correct me...however, I am still convinced that a thin sheet of ice must have just formed in Hell! :)

This is very good news!

[Coastie for Truth]

4. Only when the US executes somebody

I am surprised that the enumerated groups didn't condemn Israel for executing Eichmann.

[drdon326]

5. Coastie.....

how many dead "collaborators" does that make ?

And when is anyone going to give a shit ?

[Lithos]

6. Here

http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/meast/01/16/amnesty.executions/

The European Union and Germany registered criticism over the executions, as did others in the international community. "The public executions open a new, bloody chapter in the Middle East conflict," said German Justice Minister Herta Daeubler-Gmelin in a Berliner Zeitung newspaper interview.

She described the executions as "a major mistake" and said she had sent a letter of protest to the Palestinian representative in Germany.

In addition, the European Union asked Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to commute the two pending death sentences. Arafat must approve all executions.

I think this also counts to what you are asking:

http://www.icj.org/news.php3?id_article=2696&lang=en

These state security tribunals exist to bypass the due process requirements of ordinary courts and serve to curtail the rights of the accused while giving a semblance of "legality" to decisions of the executive. The deficiencies of the procedure carried out within these courts include: trials take place on short notice, often at night; accused persons often do not know the charges against them and are thus prevented from preparing an adequate defence; there is no right to legal representation of choice and defendants are usually obliged to accept representation by counsel appointed by the SSC. In some cases, entire trial proceedings have lasted only a few hours and have sometimes resulted in death sentences. Since the recent intifada, alleged collaborators with Israel have been tried before the SSC.

[drdon326]

7. Thank you for your kind response.

Your INITIAL link of course is from 4 years ago and sadly I have seen nothing else since then and I doubt you have also. And even discounting that minor problem, "registered criticism" is hardly above a slap-on-the-wrist in diplo-speak. And from the apparent increase in the judicial and extra-judicial murder execution of "collaborators", that "registered criticism" seemed to have the expected results.......nothing.


As for your second link, I think you did know that wasnt the ICJ I was referring to.Although the link you posted was interesting nonetheless. And I compliment you on your finding this non-UN organization with those initials.

It is sad,as noted by your second posted article, the horrendous judicial system that may be classified as a kangaroo court.

[Lithos]

8. Perhaps new enough?

http://www.eu2005.lu/en/actualites/pesc/2005/06/12gaza/index.html

The Presidency is dismayed by the execution of four sentenced persons in Gaza today. The universal abolition of the death penalty constitutes one of the priorities of the external policy of the European Union. It considers that, regardless of the circumstances, the death penalty constitutes a flagrant violation of the right to life and a serious infringement on human dignity. The European Union urges the President of the Palestinian Authority to reinstate the moratorium on the death penalty that had been in place since 2002.

Side note: Here is a declaration saying Hamas is indeed a terrorist organization. I seem to think this has been placed in doubt at some point in the discussions here.

http://ue.eu.int/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/en/misc/84234.pdf

[drdon326]

11. Thank you very much......that certainly is new enough.....

but with all due respect, expressing "DISMAY" in my opinion is EVEN LESS than "REGISTERED CRITICISM".....IF THATS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.


And the UN?........SILENCE
aND THE UNCHR ?.....SILENCE
The ICJ?.........SILENCE.


nice of the PA to take over the task of railroading "collaborators" from hamas and ij.

[drdon326]

13. (((trumpet sound))) Amnesty Int'l has chimed in !!

Palestinian Authority: Amnesty International calls for halt to death penalty as four executed in Gaza

As the Palestinian Authority (PA) carried out its first executions since August 2002, Amnesty International today condemned the use of the death penalty by the PA, saying that it will in no way solve the problem of increasing crime and lawlessness in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and represents a step backwards for human rights in the Palestinian territories.

"The PA has the right and responsibility to bring to justice those suspected of criminal offences, but the death penalty is no solution," said Abdelsalam Sidahmed, Director of Amnesty International's Middle East Program. "There is no evidence to suggest that it effectively deters crime -- rather, it simply brutalizes society, causes anguish for the relatives of those who are executed, and reinforces a cycle of violence."

Four men were executed yesterday, three by hanging and one by firing squad. Three -- Wa'el Sha'ban al-Shoubaki, Salah Khalil Musallam, and 'Oda Muhammad Abu 'Azab -- were sentenced to death for murder in 1995 and 1996. The fourth, Muhammad Daoud al-Khawaja, was convicted of murder in 2000 after a trial before the notoriously unfair State Security Court, which has since been abolished.

PA President Mahmoud Abbas reportedly ordered the resumption of executions as a response to increased crime and lawlessness in areas of the Occupied Territories which fall under PA jurisdiction.

"To suggest that executions are a solution to increased lawlessness is a dangerous misconception," said Abdelsalam Sidahmed. "In order to fight crime effectively the PA must take concrete measures to ensure that its institutions, notably the security forces and the justice system, attain the requisite levels of competence and independence so that there is no need to resort to such a cruel and inhuman punishment, which constitutes the ultimate violation of the right to life."

Amnesty International called on President Abbas to impose a moratorium on executions. All prisoners sentenced to death by the State Security Court or by other courts in unfair trials should receive new trials that conform to international standards.

Since the establishment of the PA in 1994, Amnesty International has frequently expressed concern about trial proceedings that did not comply with international fair trial standards, arbitrary detentions and torture by PA security forces, and other abuses. The PA has also systematically afforded impunity to those responsible for killing Palestinians accused of collaborating with both Israeli intelligence services and security forces to assassinate other Palestinians.

"There is much that the PA can and should do to establish the rule of law and to end impunity for those responsible for killings and other abuses. Executions, including of people who were not granted a fair trial, is not the answer," said Abdelsalam Sidahmed.

http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE210052005

....................................................................

The PA's in trouble now.

[drdon326]

14. The PA Judicial System....

1.Non-compliance with international fair trial standards
2.Arbitrary detentions
3.Torture by PA security forces
4.Systematically afforded impunity to those responsible for killing Palestinians.


I'm sure even China and Iran are laughing at them.

Quite an achievement the PA has performed. Yup, no doubt about it, they're ready for a country.

[Colorado Blue]

16. Thud!

OK, now I'm impressed.

[newyorican]

9. I am against the death penalty...

either done "legally" or extra-judicially. No matter who is doing it.

But I especially don't agree with it when "we" do it or subsidize state sponsored murder. There is no way back if you find out you were wrong.

[Coastie for Truth]

10. At last (In Yiddish - allevi)

something we agree on.

I wouldn't be surprized that outside of I/P issues you're a pretty decent guy.

(PS - were you at "Poly" in the late 1960's-early 1970's ?)

[drdon326]

12. ((((thud))))

I too agree ....although i have had my doubts when it comes to child murderers in Florida recently.

[drdon326]

15. Then see.....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x93507#93554