Khalil Al Zaben - Palestine

ABSTRACT: The Constitution of the future Palestinian State will respect the fundamental liberties of man. There will be neither discrimination nor torture. There will be freedom of religion, of opinion and of expression. There will be the freedom of expression, of press, of property and economic activities. Priority will be given to the right to life, and the freedom and integrity of the individual. The Palestinian Human Rights Association opposes the principles of the death penalty. "We believe the Palestinian citizen, recreating his links with his legend and history, will be capable, like the phoenix, to arise from its ashes, more beautiful and shining on the land of the prophets and of the sacred, the cradle of religions and the way to eternity".

("HANDS OFF CAIN", 1 February 1994)

Jamal Sourani, Director of the Palestinian Association for Human Rights, member of the PLO executive, president of the Union of Palestinian Jurists and of the Juridical Commission charged with preparing the Constitution of the future Palestinian state, declared: "Our Constitution will respect the fundamental liberties of man, his essential rights as they are laid down in the international texts. Every form of discrimination will be banned, every form of violation of the dignity of man - physical torture, inhuman treatment - will be forbidden. Freedom of religion, opinion and speech will be guarantied. Democracy in all its demonstrations - creation of political parties and professional organizations, freedom of press, right to property and economic

rights - will be the pillars of the new State".

In the light of these fundamental elements which the Constitution of the future Palestinian state will include, the Palestinian Human Rights Association will take a large responsibility which it will fully respect. It will be charged with following the drafting of the penal laws that will regulate Palestinians' lives.

The Association will control the definition of the conditions that guarantee the dignity and the rights of each citizen. Priority will be given to the right to life as it is handed down by the International Charter of the Rights of Man, art. 3: each man has the right to life, to freedom and to his integrity. Article 6 further specifies that the right to life belongs to each person and that the law must safeguard it.

The Palestinian Association of Human Rights, which opposes the principle of the death penalty. will check that the right to life of each citizen be respected; it will make its voice heard with tomorrow's authorities, as it has already done with the PLO so far. We believe the Palestinian citizen, recreating his links with his legend and history, will be capable, like the phoenix, to arise from its ashes, more beautiful and shining on the land of the prophets and of the sacred, the cradle of religions and the way to eternity.