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Rights Framework
1. Developments in civil and political rights
1.1 Developments in the right to life
Violations of the right to life
The causes of deaths monitored by ICHR ranged among different backgrounds;
according to information received from the Ministry of Labor, deaths among
workers within the Green Line this year were close to those of the previous year,
as the number of worker deaths this year reached (23) deaths compared to (28)
deaths in 201915.
The death rate due to the spread of the Corona virus, according to the electronic
platform of the Ministry of Health, reached (1572) deaths, (57%) males and (43%)
females, (1%) of them were children and (76.5%) elderly. The deaths recorded in the
Gaza Strip were (24.5%) of the total deaths recorded in the Palestinian territories.
ICHR monitored (227) deaths in abnormal circumstances, (52) of them for females
and (54) of children, compared to (140) deaths in abnormal circumstances that
occurred in 2019, of which (30) were females and (40) children.
On the other hand, ICHR has only recorded one death case against the background
of the so-called “family honor” issues16. Nonetheless, ICHR still sees an increase in
the number of mysterious female deaths, reaching (10 cases) and deaths recorded
as suicide (7 cases). Additionally, the initial conditions that ICHR documented raise
suspicions and lead to many questions, as there is a possibility that the underlying
cause of some mysterious cases, or deaths due to suicide, were committed on
grounds of “family honor”. This requires the Public Prosecution, as an official
competent investigation body, to pay the highest attention to investigate these
deaths in order to reveal the real causes behind them and those responsible and
to hold them accountable.
ICHR also documented (34) deaths due to family quarrels, compared to (27) cases
recorded in 2019. This figure indicates the continuation of killings within the
family, which requires the competent authorities to play a more effective role in
reducing the incidence of such deaths.
ICHR recorded (2) deaths resulting from the misuse of weapons by citizens, one
in the West Bank and another in the Gaza Strip, all of which were adult males,
which equates the number recorded by ICHR in 2019. The number of deaths due
15 The response of the Ministry of Labor ,which reached ICHR on 18/1/2021
16 Because the commission was not aware of the death reasons, or because it is still under
investigation by the Public Prosecution.
The Status of Human Rights in Palestine