Palestinian rights groups condemn Abbas' 'exceptional' laws

The Palestinian Council of Human Rights Organisations called on Sunday for the Palestinian Authority to stop adopting new laws including restrictions and violations of rights guaranteed by the Constitution, as well as the international conventions it has joined unconditionally. The Council said that it considers the PA’s adoption of “new exceptional laws in the absence of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and in violation of the Basic Law” to be “very dangerous.”

According to the rights organisations, the PA’s taking of such measures is considered a violation of the power given to the PA president by article 43 of the Basic Law. Commenting on the apparently unlimited laws, the Council said that the time needed to review this number exceeds more than one term of an elected parliament.

The PA, explained the Council, has ignored the role of the Palestinian parliament for more than nine years. “This means that the role of the parliament has ended and this endangers the Palestinian political system,” it said in its press release.

The exceptional laws have caused much controversy within the Palestinian community, especially after they touched on the basic rights and freedoms of the citizens.

Lama Khater: The consequences of passing the e-crimes law

This month alone, the PA has adopted 11 bills and turned them over to the PA president for approval. One of them is the “controversial” law of the criminal court. Such exceptional laws are issued without reference to or consultation with NGOs or specialist organisations.

The statement reminded the media about the surprise of the rights groups caused by the adoption of the Electronic Crime Law, which has been approved recently and “undermines” the right to privacy and freedom of speech.