A/HRC/34/36 in demonstrations. OHCHR raised these concerns with the Prime Minister both in person and in writing but no response has been received to date. Violence against women 63. Women in the Occupied Palestinian Territory face multiple layers of violence and discrimination. In September 2016, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, following her country visit, highlighted the prevalence of deeply embedded forms of violence against women — including domestic violence, early marriage, sexual violence (including rape and incest) and “honour killings” — which, she noted, were “petrified in a context of prolonged occupation”.70 64. There are no reliable statistics available on “honour killings” in the West Bank, but OHCHR is concerned that loopholes in the law remain for such killings to be effectively condoned. Although a presidential decree in May 2014 removed one specific provision to mitigate sentences for perpetrators of “honour crimes” in such cases (article 98 of the Penal Code), judges can still use the broad discretionary power to apply mitigating factors (article 99) in “honour killings”.71 In one case monitored by OHCHR, a 48-year-old man who had killed his wife to “defend his honour” was sentenced to only two years’ imprisonment by a court in Nablus on 31 May 2016. The judge observed that the crime had been committed “in a fit of rage that was the result of an unlawful and dangerous act by the victim”, and the convicted man received the benefit of mitigation under article 98 as the murder had taken place before the decree. Death penalty 65. No executions were carried out in the West Bank during the reporting period. The President of the State of Palestine continued his practice of not ratifying death sentences, as required by the Basic Law for any execution to take place. Death sentences, however, continue to be administered. Thus, on 29 December 2015, the Criminal Court of Jericho sentenced a man to death for murder. The ruling is currently under appeal. 2. Gaza Right to life 66. The reporting period saw a concerning resumption in executions in Gaza. On 31 May 2016, three men convicted of murder were executed. These executions were carried out without the approval of the President of the State of Palestine, thereby flouting Palestinian law and denying the right to be considered for pardon or commutation of the sentence (see article 6 (4) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights). 72 On 7 February 2016, Al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of Hamas) announced the execution of one of its members for “moral and behavioural misconduct”. In addition to reports of ill-treatment and incommunicado detention for over a year, the execution appears to have been extrajudicial as the decision was taken by the internal military and sharia justice of Al-Qassam Brigades, which is not part of the formal judiciary in Gaza.73 67. Death sentences continue to be pronounced by Gaza courts. According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, 19 individuals were sentenced to death during the 70 71 72 73 14 See www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20584&LangID=E. See www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Women/WRGS/Executive_ summary_study_called_honour_killings_Palestine.pdf. See www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20037&LangID=E. See www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=17035&LangID=E.