Palestinian activist calls for Abbas to publish new presidential decree protecting women from violence
Op-ed by Atef Abu Al-Rub:
“Lately, Palestinian society, which considers itself united and crime-free, has been shaken by a series of grave social events. Among the clearly prominent crimes were assaults on women – including murder, attempted murder, and other acts considered to be assaults on women…
Feminist activist Nada Tawil says: ‘Since the beginning of the year, the number of femicides perpetrated in safe places, including even courts of justice (allusion to the murder of a woman in a Shari’ah law court in the beginning of May, 2014. Ed.) has risen to 13. Feminist movement groups working to form coalitions to advance the development of the Penal Code and the Personal Status Law, have finished their drafts and submitted them for approval to the Palestinian Parliament (Legislative Council) – but it [the Parliament] is [currently] suspended because of the rift [between Fatah and Hamas]. Therefore, we asked the President [Mahmoud Abbas], by way of memoranda, to publish a presidential decree abrogating the mitigating excuses for murder. [The decree] was indeed published, but with loopholes – the issue was left to the discretion of the legal system, creating a loophole in the law. We demand that the President publish an additional decree until the Legislative Council convenes.’”
“Lately, Palestinian society, which considers itself united and crime-free, has been shaken by a series of grave social events. Among the clearly prominent crimes were assaults on women – including murder, attempted murder, and other acts considered to be assaults on women…
Feminist activist Nada Tawil says: ‘Since the beginning of the year, the number of femicides perpetrated in safe places, including even courts of justice (allusion to the murder of a woman in a Shari’ah law court in the beginning of May, 2014. Ed.) has risen to 13. Feminist movement groups working to form coalitions to advance the development of the Penal Code and the Personal Status Law, have finished their drafts and submitted them for approval to the Palestinian Parliament (Legislative Council) – but it [the Parliament] is [currently] suspended because of the rift [between Fatah and Hamas]. Therefore, we asked the President [Mahmoud Abbas], by way of memoranda, to publish a presidential decree abrogating the mitigating excuses for murder. [The decree] was indeed published, but with loopholes – the issue was left to the discretion of the legal system, creating a loophole in the law. We demand that the President publish an additional decree until the Legislative Council convenes.’”