Iran’s legal deputy discusses potential death penalty for Netanyahu

Kazem Gharibabadi, Legal Deputy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran, stated that two or three countries supporting Palestine and opposing Israeli crimes could form a joint tribunal to sentence Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.

According to Gharibabadi, there are over 55 countries that have the death penalty enshrined in their laws, Caliber.Az reports per Iranian media.

In an interview with the international group of the Student News Agency, Gharibabadi stated that after the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court is the second international tribunal to issue arrest warrants for two criminal officials of the Israeli regime.

He continued that in specific situations, the United Nations Security Council can also create a special tribunal. While this is possible, such a court would likely not issue death sentences because it would be affiliated with the United Nations.

Gharibabadi emphasized that another possibility is for several countries to form a joint court. This was a topic discussed in relation to the crimes of ISIS. Countries that suffered from ISIS crimes could come together to form a joint tribunal.

The Legal Deputy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs further explained that there are over 55 countries that have the death penalty in their legal systems. Therefore, two or three countries that support the Palestinian people and oppose the crimes of the Israeli regime could form a joint tribunal and issue a death sentence against these officials.

In conclusion, Gharibabadi stated that while it is possible for such a sentence to be issued, the enforceability of the sentence and the guarantees for its execution are separate issues.

However, from the perspective of issuing such a ruling, it is feasible. For a joint or regional court, firstly, there must be consensus among the countries, and secondly, it must be approved by the parliaments of those countries.

Notably, on November 21, 2024 the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former defence minister Yoav Gallant, in connection with alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the ongoing Gaza conflict.

The court's decision was based on claims that Netanyahu and Gallant were criminally responsible for acts including murder, persecution, and starvation as a weapon of war, as part of a "widespread and systematic attack" against Gaza's civilian population. ICC judges stated that there were reasonable grounds to believe that the Israeli-led blockade of Gaza, which resulted in a lack of food, water, electricity, fuel, and medical supplies, created living conditions that led to the deaths of civilians, including children, from malnutrition and dehydration.

The ICC's move has sparked strong reactions. Israeli officials have condemned the warrants as “shameful” and “absurd,” dismissing the allegations as politically motivated. In contrast, many in Gaza have expressed hope that the decision could help end the violence and hold those responsible for the suffering accountable. Hamas also welcomed the arrest warrants, with a senior official describing it as a "first step" towards achieving justice for the people of Gaza.

By Aghakazim Guliyev