Palestine’s Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR), represented by its Executive Director Randa Siniora, recently participated in the second round of the Human Rights, Good Governance and Rule of Law Sub-Committee, which took place in Brussels at the end of February.

The regular dialogue between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the European Union (EU) is held as part of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and provides an opportunity for the two organisations to review the implementation of priorities under the joint ENP Action Plan.

According to a statement released by the ICHR, Ms Siniora discussed the human rights situation in the Palestinian-controlled Territories and noted that “progress had been made with regard to the practice of torture and ill-treatment in Palestinian detention centers and penitentiaries in the last quarter of 2009.”

She highlighted the main human rights violations registered through complaints to the ICHR during the year, including arbitrary detention, lack of implementation of court decisions, violation of the right to hold public office, freedom of association and freedom of expression.

In her concluding remarks, Ms Siniora stressed “the necessity to ask the President of the PNA to issue a decision by law for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, as well as a presidential decree prohibiting torture and ill treatment in places of detention.”

She also urged the PA to give serious consideration to the recommendations of ICHR‘s 15th annual report on the status of human rights in Palestine, which would be published in the near future.

As an independent monitoring body, the ICHR’s participation was warmly welcomed by all participants at the meeting.

Christian Berger, the EU representative in the occupied Palestinian territories, said in a statement that the Palestinian Authority has made “enormous progress in preparing for statehood based on the rule of law and in the spirit of good governance, even under the current difficult political environment.”

The human rights situation in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, rights of women and children, freedom of the press, unlawful arrests and conditions in Palestinian detention centres were among the concerns addressed.

The PA's progress in strengthening the rule of law through judiciary and security sector reforms was also discussed.

The meeting was held “in a frank and open atmosphere, with a productive exchange on issues of mutual interest and concern,” the EU statement said.