Ramallah (Palestine), February 21: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday evening enacted a decree to consolidate public freedoms ahead of the general elections.
Under the decree, Palestine will establish an atmosphere of public freedoms in all its territories, allowing people to "have the freedom to practice political and national action, in accordance with the provisions of the constitution and relevant legislation."
The decree was issued based on the understandings reached among 14 Palestinian factions during their recent meetings in Cairo last week.
It provides for "banning the detention, arrest, prosecution of, or holding to account, individuals for reasons relating to the freedom of opinion and political affiliation," as well as "the immediate release of any detainees or prisoners held in custody against the backdrop of practicing the freedom of opinion, political affiliation or for any other partisan reasons."
It also allows all of the electoral lists to enjoy an equal opportunity in the official media "without any discrimination in accordance with the law."
According to the decree, the Palestinian police shall have the sole responsibility to protect polling stations in the Palestinian territories.
In a decree issued in mid-January, Palestinian President Abbas announced that the 2021 general election will include legislative elections on May 22, presidential elections on July 31, and the Palestinian National Council elections on Aug. 31.
The last Palestinian presidential elections were held in March 2005, and the legislative elections in January 2006.
Xinhua: Xinhua