Ashrawi Calls to Put an End to Light Punishment Centences for Crimes of Women Honor Killing
Member of the PLO Executive Committee, Hanan Ashrawi, Saturday called for the immediate approval of the penal law, the Community Security legislation, especially for women, and to put an end to light punishment sentences for crimes of killing women (the so-called honor killing).
Ashrawi statement came following the killing of a 15-year-old girl by her father in Jabaliya and another 17-year-old girl by her brother in Khan Younes, both in the Gaza Strip.
Ashrawi also called for rejecting all excuses for reducing penalties for femicide and meting out the maximum penalties against femicide criminals and all those who violate the law.
Ashrawi pointed out that a total of 28 women were killed during 2013 due to the lack of legislation for ensuring women social protection, the lack of legal accountability as well as lack of action to hold femicide criminals accountable.
Ashrawi denounced considering such crimes as family honor killings and described attempts to consider these crimes as such as ‘misleading’.
She said: “Considering femicide crimes as family honor killings (or as motivated to maintain the family honor) helps protect femicide criminals and even induces them to perpetrate more crimes against women. It also helps criminals to escape punishment and disclaim responsibility to face this crime.”
Ashrawi called upon the constituents of the executive authority, the civil community, governmental and grassroots organizations as well as judiciary and security establishments to eradicate this phenomenon in line with the principles of democracy.
Ashrawi also called upon Hamas to uphld its responsibility in this regard, announce the results of investigations and prosecute femicide criminals to set an example for those tempted to violate women’s right to life.
