Israel’s death penalty law could spell suspension from rights body role, says chief

Israel's observer status in the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly is under threat due to the country's recent introduction of the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of certain offenses. The move has sparked concern among human rights advocates, and Petra Bayr, the president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), has made it clear that the use of capital punishment is incompatible with observer status. Bayr emphasized that not using the death penalty is a fundamental requirement for participating in the pan-European human rights body, which is separate from the EU. The potential suspension of Israel's observer status highlights the tension between the country's domestic policies and its international human rights obligations.

Not using capital punishment ‘really a requirement’ for Council of Europe’s parliamentary assembly, says presidentIsrael’s observer status at the Council of Europe’s parliamentary assembly could be suspended over the country’s new law mandating the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of some offences, the president of the body has said.Petra Bayr, an Austrian Social Democrat and president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (Pace), said not using the death penalty was “really a requirement” of having observer status at the pan-European human rights body, which has no connection to the EU. Continue reading...