Governmental and Nongovernmental organizations: the Urgency of a Palestinian Penalties Law

Numerous feminist non-governmental and human rights organizations called for amendments to the Palestinian penalties law. In the meeting organized by the Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development, in the name of the Al-Muntada to Combat Violence against Women, on the murder Aya Barath'eye, they accentuated the urgency for the Palestinian National Authority to exert policies and take measures in order to protect women against violence, and honor based killing.

Moreover, the participating organizations welcome the president's decision to suspend and overturn some of the articles in the applicable penalties law which governs the OPT. However, the current penal code remains problematic, as it still has flaws which encourage honor based killing, and family crimes in general. 

After discussing the importance of the issuance of a Palestinian law, the participants agreed on the urgency to raise the social awareness on the issue of violence against women, and called for an adoption of effective policies to protect violated and oppressed women. Due to the atrocious crime committed against Aya Barath'eye, the participants reached at a number of suggestions and recommendations:

The need to formulate a memorandum which demands the development of a modern Palestinian penalties law, and to collect the largest number of signatures possible, in order to hand the memo to the Palestinian president in a rally which will be organized soon. In addition, statements were sent to different news agencies, in order to tackle this issue in their current and future programs, since media is one of the most effective tools for lobbying, advocacy and change. A statement was also sent to the Ministry of Wakfs, to demand the promotion of the issue in the Friday speeches for the coming three weeks. 

The participants, in the meeting which was held at the PWWSD's office in Ramallah, expressed their gratitude to Falastine TV, for exploring the case of Aya Barath'eye, resulting in influential debates in the Palestinian society. They requested a rebroadcasting of the "Haki Al Makshouf" episode, which tackled the issue, as well as other similar episodes that addressed the issue of violence against women. 

On his part, Al-Muntada to Combat Violence against Women confirmed that women killings are unjustifiable and what Aya Barath'eye has suffered is a dangerous premeditated crime, and that her killers must be brought to justice, and sentenced with strict punishments, as their relationship with the victim should be the reason for a sever punishment and not a way to escape punishment.