Israel approves law on public trials, death penalty for October 7 detainees

"Israeli legislators have approved a bill to establish a special tribunal with the power to impose the death penalty on Palestinians accused of involvement in the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023. The bill passed 93-0 in Israel's 120-seat parliament, the Knesset, late on Monday. The remaining 27 legislators were absent or abstained from voting."

"Israeli and Palestinian rights groups warn that the bill will make the death penalty too easy to impose while also doing away with procedures safeguarding the right to a fair trial. Muna Haddad, a lawyer with Adalah The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, told Al Jazeera that the bill intentionally lowers the legal protections to a fair trial to secure the mass conviction of Palestinians."

"The bill explicitly permits mass trials that deviate from standard rules of evidence, including broad judicial discretion to admit evidence obtained under coercive conditions that may amount to torture or ill-treatment, Haddad said. This constitutes a severe violation of fair trial guarantees that falls well short of international law requirements."

"In a departure from standard Israeli judicial practice, which typically prohibits courtroom cameras, the bill mandates the filming and public broadcasting of key moments in the trials on a dedicated website. This includes opening hearings, verdicts and sentencing. Haddad warned that this provision effectively transforms proceedings into show trials at the expense of the accused's rights. The provisions governing public hearings violate the presumption of innocence, the right to a fair trial, and the right to dignity."

Israeli legislators approved a bill establishing a special tribunal empowered to impose the death penalty on Palestinians accused of involvement in Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023. The bill passed unanimously in the Knesset with 93 votes in favor and 27 legislators absent or abstaining. Rights groups warn the bill makes the death penalty easier to impose and removes safeguards for fair trial rights. The bill allows mass trials that depart from standard evidence rules, including broad discretion to admit evidence obtained under coercive conditions that may amount to torture or ill-treatment. It also requires filming and public broadcasting of key trial moments, including openings, verdicts, and sentencing, which rights groups say undermines the presumption of innocence and dignity.

Read at www.aljazeera.com