HUMAN WRONGS WATCH

Human Wrongs Watch 

By Abeer S. Abusaud* from Amman – Amnesty International (AI) called on Jordanian authorities to immediately release six pro-reform Jordanians, who were arrested early this month for violating lese-majeste law, i.e, for “insulting” the King, four of whom have now been held for almost one month.

**Photo, source: ANHRI

Those detainees are considered prisoners of conscience, “detained solely for exercising their right to freedom of expression, and being punished for their opinions and peaceful activities, which demand reform and an end to corruption,” according to an AI report. 

French news agency AFP reported that the Jordanian security forces dispersed and arrested peaceful demonstrators, who participated in the 150 activists’ sit-in, in front of the Prime Minister’s Head office in Amman.

One protester, who didn’t want his name mentioned, said that security forces arrested the activists after they refused to stop chanting slogans against the Regime.
Condemnation

Also the Arab Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), condemned the crack down on the Amman activists’ sit-in.

ANHRI says that Jordanian police reacted violently, hitting demonstrators and arresting at least 12 activists after claiming that the demonstrators verbally abused the police and chanted slogans insulting to the king.

The Arab rights Network—which aims at expanding Human Rights Information and Values in the Middle East and North Africa, called upon the Jordanian government to immediately release all prisoners of conscience in the Kingdom, and stop referring civilians to military courts, and to cease harassment of peaceful gatherings advocating reforms, and allow them to enjoy freedom of opinion and expression.

Tafila …. In the Forgotten South

The six detained are members of the Free Tafileh Movement, established over one year ago, which calls for constitutional and economic reforms and enhanced political freedom for Jordanians, said AI, which is a global movement of more than 3 million supporters, members and activists in more than 150 countries and territories who campaign to end grave abuses of human rights.

According to information received by Amnesty International, at least three of them were beaten by security forces during initial interrogations.
Talfila is about 180 km south of Amman, and its population was estimated in 2010 at around 85,000 inhabitants. Like most of the South, Tafila suffers from extreme poverty, limited economic opportunities and unemployment.

Earlier this year, Tafila Mayor was quoted by PETRA News agency as saying that the problems hindering the development of Tafila province are mainly poverty and unemployment, “This is strongly reflected in the stagnant numbers of its population, which hasn’t increased in the past 20 years”.

Demonstrations

Last month, Tafila province witnessed a number of demonstrations, and the Directorate of Public Security Forces declared, at the time, that one of its members was stabbed during a demonstration calling for reform. He is still recovering in hospital.

Around 21 persons were arrested in the aftermath of a demonstration that was followed by riots and violence.

The detainees were charged by the Security Court Prosecutor with “violating lese-majeste law”, a judicial source told AFP on March 13th. The Attorney General also refused releasing the detainees on bail, and pointed out that they face a jail sentence of three years.

North Backs South

A big demonstration took place in the Northern city of Irbid, after Friday prayers in support of the “free Tafilah”. It demanded dissolving the House of Representatives and putting to trial all corrupt people.

The demonstration witnessed a wide participation of the Islamic movement, as well as various popular parties and trade unions. Demonstrators hailed the steadfastness of the Tafila people in pursuing the demands of all Jordanians for reform.

More Support for Detainees

Dozens from “Jordan University students for Reform” group conducted a sit-in Sunday afternoon in front of the University’s main gate. They were protesting the treatment received by Saturday sit-in and dispersing it by force.

The protestors demanded lifting the tight grip of the Security Forces on public life, and the immediate release of the detainees.

The Jordanian Engineers Union also asked the government to give priority to reason, while dealing with popular demands for reform.

In its statement, issued Sunday, it stressed that “what happened in front of the Prime Minister’s Office, is unacceptable and does not reflect giving priority to reasonably dealing with the peaceful demands of those citizens”. The union demanded that the government immediately releases all detainees.

Official Stand …. No Meeting Grounds

For his part, the Information Office at the Directorate of Public Security said in a statement that “The sit-in was dispersed after the organisers violated the law and all ethical values, through the disruption of traffic and uttering obscene words, which hurt the feelings of passers-by”.

The statement added that the demonstrators “insulted and acted in contempt to public security and the police forces, who were there to protect them”. It added “security forces arrested those who breached security and order.”

On the other hand, Rakan al-Majali, the Government Spokesman, stressed that “the excesses and verbal abuses which occurred in front of the Prime Minister’s Office, exceeded all acceptable norms and manners. Therefore, the government can no longer condone or tolerate any act that affects the prestige of the state, its stability, and its symbols, whether on the verbal or behavioural level”.

In a move that threatens the freedom of opinion and expression and the right to peaceful protests within Jordan, the authorities announced its decision to prevent any assembly in  vital places which might obstruct traffic.

“lese-majeste” Law in Jordan

The applicable law punishes any violator of lese-majeste law by imprisonment for a maximum of three years, after being tried by Military Courts.

This applies to anyone who says anything that insults the King, or incites action against the government, or spreads sectarian and religious contempt or ridicules their symbols.
Currently, there are 15 Jordanians facing charges of violating the lese-majeste law before Military Courts, including a child under 18 years old. They face penalties of imprisonment up to three years.

*Abeer S. Abusaud is a Communication and Marketing expert with more than 30 years experience in Communication, Mass Media, and Advertising. She studied Political Sciences at Cairo University and started her career in the English Service of Qatar Radio, Doha, where she authored the first English language book on Qatari women “Qatari Women Past and Present” published by Longman, U.K. 1984.  

**Photo, source: ANHRI

This article can be republished, sourcing and linking to: Human Wrongs Watch.

Other articles by Abeer S. Abusaud: 

Syrians – From Assad’s Hell to Refugees’ Limbo

Jordan: No Return Ticket for Foreign Domestic Workers

Jordan: Rights Activists Against Governors “Absolute Power”

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Posted on 03/04/2012 at 14:51 in Middle East, The Peoples   |  RSS feed |   Reply   |   Trackback URL