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OPT: Al Mezan condemns killing of woman from Shati' refugee camp; Calls for perpetrators to be brought to justice

At approximately 2:20pm on Friday 27 November 2009, the body of a woman (R.S.), 29, was admitted to Shifa Hospital. According to medical sources, the woman had been strangled to death. Police are investigating the murder and have arrested relatives of the victim in connection to the incident. According to the same source, claims have been made that the murder was 'honour related.' The victim was murdered three days before her wedding was due to take place.

Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights strongly condemns this crime and asserts that the leniency with which the authorities treat the perpetrators of such crimes - who usually allege that they were acting to preserve 'family honour' - has contributed to a noticeable increase in murders. In 2009 alone, eleven people have been killed, six of whom were women.

Al Mezan is gravely concerned that the perpetrators of such crimes are able to escape appropriate judicial penalty by alleging they were acting to 'preserve family honour.'