In a rare criticism, the United Nations condemned Hamas on Wednesday after the Palestinian terror group announced plans to carry out 13 public executions.

The UN is “deeply concerned” by remarks made by Hamas’ attorney general that the organization was planning to carry out public executions in the near future, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesman Rupert Colville said in a statement.

These executions would violate Palestinian law, as all death sentences must be approved by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The death penalty should “only be carried out in extremely limited circumstances, and pursuant to a trial and appeals that scrupulously follow fair trial standards,” Colville said. He observed that his office “has serious doubts as to whether capital trials in Gaza meet these standards.” The fact that the executions are planned to be carried out in public “[raises] alarm,” he added, as international human rights law forbids public executions.

Although Hamas was not mentioned by name in the statement, it was clear which group it was referring to. Hillel Neuer of the watchdog group UN Watch observed that such condemnations are a “rare move” for the United Nations.

[Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib / Flash90 ]