| JORDAN Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah Joined United Nations: 14 December 1955 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Click here Updated 02/01/11 |
| CAPITAL |
| POPULATION |
| CHIEF OF STATE |
| SELECTION PROCESS |
Amman
6,407,085 (July 2010 est.)
Marouf Bakhit
Prime Minister since 01 February 2011
Prime Minister since 01 February 2011
The Monarch is hereditary; the Heir Apparent is the eldest son of
the Monarch and first in line to inherit the throne
Next scheduled election: None
the Monarch and first in line to inherit the throne
Next scheduled election: None
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
SELECTION PROCESS
Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister appointed by and
serve at the pleasure of the Monarch
NOTE: Following two weeks of street protests King
Abdallah II dismissed Prime Minister Samir Rafai and his
cabinet and appointed Bakhit to form a new cabinet.
Next scheduled election: None
serve at the pleasure of the Monarch
NOTE: Following two weeks of street protests King
Abdallah II dismissed Prime Minister Samir Rafai and his
cabinet and appointed Bakhit to form a new cabinet.
Next scheduled election: None
| DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS |
| ETHNIC GROUPS |
Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
| RELIGIONS |
Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox,
Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)
Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)
| GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE |
Constitutional monarchy with 12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Legal system is based on Islamic law and French
codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive: The monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Legislative: Bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate, also called the House of Notables or Majlis
al-Ayan (55 seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categories of public figures to serve four-year terms) and
the Chamber of Deputies, also called the House of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwaab (110 seats; members elected by popular
vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms; note - 6 seats are reserved for women and are allocated
by a special electoral panel if no women are elected)
elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held 20 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
Judicial: Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)
codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive: The monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Legislative: Bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate, also called the House of Notables or Majlis
al-Ayan (55 seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categories of public figures to serve four-year terms) and
the Chamber of Deputies, also called the House of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwaab (110 seats; members elected by popular
vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms; note - 6 seats are reserved for women and are allocated
by a special electoral panel if no women are elected)
elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held 20 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
Judicial: Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)
| LANGUAGES |
Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes
| BRIEF HISTORY |
The land that became Jordan forms part of the richly historical Fertile Crescent region. Its history began around 2000 B.C., when
Semitic Amorites settled around the Jordan River in the area called Canaan. Subsequent invaders and settlers included Hittites,
Egyptians, Israelites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arab Muslims, Christian Crusaders, Mameluks, Ottoman
Turks, Circassians, and, finally, the British. Evidence of human settlement in Jordan dates back to the Paleolithic period (500000 -
17000 BCE). While there is no architectural evidence from this era, archaeologists have found tools, such as flint and basalt hand-
axes, knives and scraping implements. In the Neolithic period (8500-4500 BCE), three major shifts occurred. First, people became
sedentary living in small villages and concurrently, new food sources were discovered and domesticated, such as cereal grains, peas
and lentils, as well as goats. The population increased reaching tens of thousands of people. Second, the shift in settlement patterns
was catalyzed by a marked change in the weather, particularly affecting the eastern desert, which grew warmer and drier, eventually
becoming entirely uninhabitable for most of year. This watershed climate change is believed to have occurred between 6500 and
5500 BCE. Third, between 5500 - 4500 BCE pottery from clay, rather than plaster, began to be produced. Pottery-making
technologies were likely introduced to the area by craftsmen from Mesopotamia. During the Early Bronze Age (3200-1950 BCE),
many villages were built that included defensive fortifications, most likely to protect against marauding nomadic tribes. Simple water
infrastructures were also constructed. At Bab al-Dhra in Wadi ‘Araba, archaeologists discovered over 20,000 shaft tombs with
multiple chambers as well as houses of mud-brick containing human bones, pots, jewelry and weapons. Hundreds of dolmens
scattered throughout the mountains have been dated to the late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Ages. While in Egypt and
Mesopotamia, writing developed before 3000 BCE, writing was not really used in Jordan, Palestine and Syria until some thousand
years later, even though archeological evidence indicates that Jordan was in fact trading with Egypt and Mesopotamia. Between
2300 - 1950 BCE, many of the large, fortified hilltop towns were abandoned in favor of either small, unfortified villages or a
pastoral lifestyle. New fortifications appeared at sites like Amman's Citadel, Irbid, and Tabaqat Fahl (or Pella). Towns were
surrounded by ramparts made of earth embankments and the slopes were covered in hard plaster, making it slippery and difficult to
climb. Pella was enclosed by massive walls and watch towers. Archaeologists usually date the end of the Middle Bronze Age to
about 1550 BCE, when the Hyksos were driven out of Egypt during the 17th and 18th Dynasties. A number of Middle Bronze Age
towns in Palestine and Jordan were destroyed during this time. When King Abdullah I was first installed, the country now known as
Jordan didn't look the way it now does. Jordan first took Aqaba from al-Hijaz, then expanded its boundary exchange with Saudi
Arabia to give up a considerable area of desert and get closer to Aqaba. At the end of World War I, the territory now comprising
Israel, Jordan, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and Jerusalem was awarded to the United Kingdom by the League of Nations as the
mandate called "Palestine Trans-Jordan." In 1922, the British, with the League's approval under the terms of the Mandate,
partitioned Palestine at the Jordan River and established the semi-autonomous Emirate of Trans-Jordan in those territories to the
east. The British installed the Hashemite Prince Abdullah I while continuing the administration of separate Palestine and Trans-
Jordan under a common British High Commissioner. The mandate over Trans-Jordan ended on May 22, 1946; on May 25, the
country became the independent Hashemite Kingdom of Trans-Jordan. It ended its special defense treaty relationship with the
United Kingdom in 1957. Trans-Jordan was one of the Arab states opposed to the second partition of Palestine and creation of
Israel in May 1948. It participated in the war between the Arab states and the newly founded State of Israel. The Armistice
Agreements of April 3, 1949 left Jordan in control of the West Bank and provided that the armistice demarcation lines were without
prejudice to future territorial settlements or boundary lines. In March of 1949, Trans-Jordan became Jordan, and annexed the West
Bank. Only two countries, however recognized this annexation: Britain and Pakistan. It is unknown why Pakistan recognized this
annexation. In 1950, the country was renamed "the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan" to include those portions of Palestine annexed
by King Abdullah. On July 20, 1951, King Abdullah I was shot dead in Jerusalem while visiting the Al Aqsa Mosque. His assassin,
a Palestinian from the Husseini clan, was apparently concerned that Jordan and Lebanon were discussing a separate peace with
Israel. Abdullah's grandson, Prince Hussein Ibn Talal was with him at the time and was hit too. King Abdullah's eldest son, Talal Ibn
Abdullah, was proclaimed king but he was deposed in 1952 because of a mental illness. His son Hussein Ibn Talal became king on
his eighteenth birthday, in 1953. In 1957 Jordan terminated special treaty relations with Great Britain. Jordan signed a mutual
defense pact in May 1967 with Egypt, and it participated in the June 1967 war between Israel and the Arab states of Syria, Egypt,
and Iraq. During the war, Israel gained control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The 1967 war led to a dramatic increase in
the number of Palestinians living in Jordan. Its Palestinian refugee population — 700,000 in 1966 — grew by another 300,000 from
the West Bank. The period following the 1967 war saw an upsurge in the power and importance of Palestinian militants (fedayeen)
in Jordan. No fighting occurred along the 1967 Jordan River cease-fire line during the October 1973 Arab-Israeli war, but Jordan
sent a brigade to Syria to fight Israeli units on Syrian territory. In 1988, Jordan renounced all claims to the West Bank but retained
an administrative role pending a final settlement, and its 1994 treaty with Israel allowed for a continuing Jordanian role in Muslim
holy places in Jerusalem. Jordan did not participate in the Gulf War of 1990–1991. The war led to a repeal of U.S. aid to Jordan
due to King Hussein’s support of Saddam Hussein. In 1991, Jordan agreed, along with Syria, Lebanon, and Palestinian
representatives, to participate in direct peace negotiations with Israel sponsored by the U.S. and Russia. It negotiated an end to
hostilities with Israel and signed a declaration to that effect on July 25, 1994. As a result, an Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty was
concluded on October 26, 1994. Following the outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian fighting in September 2000, the Jordanian
government offered its help to both parties. Jordan has since sought to remain at peace with all of its neighbours.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Jordan
Semitic Amorites settled around the Jordan River in the area called Canaan. Subsequent invaders and settlers included Hittites,
Egyptians, Israelites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arab Muslims, Christian Crusaders, Mameluks, Ottoman
Turks, Circassians, and, finally, the British. Evidence of human settlement in Jordan dates back to the Paleolithic period (500000 -
17000 BCE). While there is no architectural evidence from this era, archaeologists have found tools, such as flint and basalt hand-
axes, knives and scraping implements. In the Neolithic period (8500-4500 BCE), three major shifts occurred. First, people became
sedentary living in small villages and concurrently, new food sources were discovered and domesticated, such as cereal grains, peas
and lentils, as well as goats. The population increased reaching tens of thousands of people. Second, the shift in settlement patterns
was catalyzed by a marked change in the weather, particularly affecting the eastern desert, which grew warmer and drier, eventually
becoming entirely uninhabitable for most of year. This watershed climate change is believed to have occurred between 6500 and
5500 BCE. Third, between 5500 - 4500 BCE pottery from clay, rather than plaster, began to be produced. Pottery-making
technologies were likely introduced to the area by craftsmen from Mesopotamia. During the Early Bronze Age (3200-1950 BCE),
many villages were built that included defensive fortifications, most likely to protect against marauding nomadic tribes. Simple water
infrastructures were also constructed. At Bab al-Dhra in Wadi ‘Araba, archaeologists discovered over 20,000 shaft tombs with
multiple chambers as well as houses of mud-brick containing human bones, pots, jewelry and weapons. Hundreds of dolmens
scattered throughout the mountains have been dated to the late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Ages. While in Egypt and
Mesopotamia, writing developed before 3000 BCE, writing was not really used in Jordan, Palestine and Syria until some thousand
years later, even though archeological evidence indicates that Jordan was in fact trading with Egypt and Mesopotamia. Between
2300 - 1950 BCE, many of the large, fortified hilltop towns were abandoned in favor of either small, unfortified villages or a
pastoral lifestyle. New fortifications appeared at sites like Amman's Citadel, Irbid, and Tabaqat Fahl (or Pella). Towns were
surrounded by ramparts made of earth embankments and the slopes were covered in hard plaster, making it slippery and difficult to
climb. Pella was enclosed by massive walls and watch towers. Archaeologists usually date the end of the Middle Bronze Age to
about 1550 BCE, when the Hyksos were driven out of Egypt during the 17th and 18th Dynasties. A number of Middle Bronze Age
towns in Palestine and Jordan were destroyed during this time. When King Abdullah I was first installed, the country now known as
Jordan didn't look the way it now does. Jordan first took Aqaba from al-Hijaz, then expanded its boundary exchange with Saudi
Arabia to give up a considerable area of desert and get closer to Aqaba. At the end of World War I, the territory now comprising
Israel, Jordan, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and Jerusalem was awarded to the United Kingdom by the League of Nations as the
mandate called "Palestine Trans-Jordan." In 1922, the British, with the League's approval under the terms of the Mandate,
partitioned Palestine at the Jordan River and established the semi-autonomous Emirate of Trans-Jordan in those territories to the
east. The British installed the Hashemite Prince Abdullah I while continuing the administration of separate Palestine and Trans-
Jordan under a common British High Commissioner. The mandate over Trans-Jordan ended on May 22, 1946; on May 25, the
country became the independent Hashemite Kingdom of Trans-Jordan. It ended its special defense treaty relationship with the
United Kingdom in 1957. Trans-Jordan was one of the Arab states opposed to the second partition of Palestine and creation of
Israel in May 1948. It participated in the war between the Arab states and the newly founded State of Israel. The Armistice
Agreements of April 3, 1949 left Jordan in control of the West Bank and provided that the armistice demarcation lines were without
prejudice to future territorial settlements or boundary lines. In March of 1949, Trans-Jordan became Jordan, and annexed the West
Bank. Only two countries, however recognized this annexation: Britain and Pakistan. It is unknown why Pakistan recognized this
annexation. In 1950, the country was renamed "the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan" to include those portions of Palestine annexed
by King Abdullah. On July 20, 1951, King Abdullah I was shot dead in Jerusalem while visiting the Al Aqsa Mosque. His assassin,
a Palestinian from the Husseini clan, was apparently concerned that Jordan and Lebanon were discussing a separate peace with
Israel. Abdullah's grandson, Prince Hussein Ibn Talal was with him at the time and was hit too. King Abdullah's eldest son, Talal Ibn
Abdullah, was proclaimed king but he was deposed in 1952 because of a mental illness. His son Hussein Ibn Talal became king on
his eighteenth birthday, in 1953. In 1957 Jordan terminated special treaty relations with Great Britain. Jordan signed a mutual
defense pact in May 1967 with Egypt, and it participated in the June 1967 war between Israel and the Arab states of Syria, Egypt,
and Iraq. During the war, Israel gained control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The 1967 war led to a dramatic increase in
the number of Palestinians living in Jordan. Its Palestinian refugee population — 700,000 in 1966 — grew by another 300,000 from
the West Bank. The period following the 1967 war saw an upsurge in the power and importance of Palestinian militants (fedayeen)
in Jordan. No fighting occurred along the 1967 Jordan River cease-fire line during the October 1973 Arab-Israeli war, but Jordan
sent a brigade to Syria to fight Israeli units on Syrian territory. In 1988, Jordan renounced all claims to the West Bank but retained
an administrative role pending a final settlement, and its 1994 treaty with Israel allowed for a continuing Jordanian role in Muslim
holy places in Jerusalem. Jordan did not participate in the Gulf War of 1990–1991. The war led to a repeal of U.S. aid to Jordan
due to King Hussein’s support of Saddam Hussein. In 1991, Jordan agreed, along with Syria, Lebanon, and Palestinian
representatives, to participate in direct peace negotiations with Israel sponsored by the U.S. and Russia. It negotiated an end to
hostilities with Israel and signed a declaration to that effect on July 25, 1994. As a result, an Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty was
concluded on October 26, 1994. Following the outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian fighting in September 2000, the Jordanian
government offered its help to both parties. Jordan has since sought to remain at peace with all of its neighbours.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Jordan
| ECONOMIC OVERVIEW |
Jordan's economy is among the smallest in the Middle East, with insufficient supplies of water, oil, and other natural resources,
underlying the government's heavy reliance on foreign assistance. Other economic challenges for the government include chronic
high rates of poverty, unemployment, inflation, and a large budget deficit. Since assuming the throne in 1999, King Abdullah has
implemented significant economic reforms, such as opening the trade regime, privatizing state-owned companies, and eliminating
most fuel subsidies, which in the past few years have spurred economic growth by attracting foreign investment and creating some
jobs. The global economic slowdown, however, has depressed Jordan's GDP growth while foreign assistance to the government in
2009 plummeted, hampering the government's efforts to reign in the large budget deficit. Export-oriented sectors such as
manufacturing, mining, and the transport of re-exports have been hit the hardest. Amman is considering sweeping tax cuts to attract
foreign investment and stimulate domestic growth, and the government has guaranteed bank deposits through 2010. Jordan's
financial sector has been relatively isolated from the international financial crisis because of its limited exposure to overseas capital
markets. Jordan is currently exploring nuclear power generation to forestall energy shortfalls.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Jordan)
underlying the government's heavy reliance on foreign assistance. Other economic challenges for the government include chronic
high rates of poverty, unemployment, inflation, and a large budget deficit. Since assuming the throne in 1999, King Abdullah has
implemented significant economic reforms, such as opening the trade regime, privatizing state-owned companies, and eliminating
most fuel subsidies, which in the past few years have spurred economic growth by attracting foreign investment and creating some
jobs. The global economic slowdown, however, has depressed Jordan's GDP growth while foreign assistance to the government in
2009 plummeted, hampering the government's efforts to reign in the large budget deficit. Export-oriented sectors such as
manufacturing, mining, and the transport of re-exports have been hit the hardest. Amman is considering sweeping tax cuts to attract
foreign investment and stimulate domestic growth, and the government has guaranteed bank deposits through 2010. Jordan's
financial sector has been relatively isolated from the international financial crisis because of its limited exposure to overseas capital
markets. Jordan is currently exploring nuclear power generation to forestall energy shortfalls.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Jordan)
| POLITICAL CLIMATE |
King Hussein ruled Jordan from 1953 to 1999, surviving a number of challenges to his rule, drawing on the loyalty of his military,
and serving as a symbol of unity and stability for both the East Bank and Palestinian communities in Jordan. King Hussein ended
martial law in 1991 and legalized political parties in 1992. In 1989 and 1993, Jordan held free and fair parliamentary elections.
Controversial changes in the election law led Islamist parties to boycott the 1997 elections.
King Abdullah II succeeded his father Hussein following the latter's death in February 1999. Abdullah moved quickly to reaffirm
Jordan's peace treaty with Israel and its relations with the United States. Abdullah, during the first year in power, refocused the
government's agenda on economic reform.
Executive authority is vested in the king and his council of ministers. The king signs and executes all laws. His veto power may be
overridden by a two-thirds vote of both houses of the National Assembly. He appoints and may dismiss all judges by decree,
approves amendments to the constitution, declares war, and commands the armed forces. Cabinet decisions, court judgments, and
the national currency are issued in his name. The council of ministers, led by a prime minister, is appointed by the king, who may
dismiss other cabinet members at the prime minister's request. The cabinet is responsible to the Chamber of Deputies on matters of
general policy and can be forced to resign by a two-thirds vote of "no confidence" by that body.
Jordan's continuing structural economic difficulties, burgeoning population, and more open political environment led to the
emergence of a variety of political parties. Moving toward greater independence, Jordan's parliament has investigated corruption
charges against several regime figures and has become the major forum in which differing political views, including those of political
Islamists, are expressed. While King Abdullah remains the ultimate authority in Jordan, the parliament plays an important role.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Jordan
and serving as a symbol of unity and stability for both the East Bank and Palestinian communities in Jordan. King Hussein ended
martial law in 1991 and legalized political parties in 1992. In 1989 and 1993, Jordan held free and fair parliamentary elections.
Controversial changes in the election law led Islamist parties to boycott the 1997 elections.
King Abdullah II succeeded his father Hussein following the latter's death in February 1999. Abdullah moved quickly to reaffirm
Jordan's peace treaty with Israel and its relations with the United States. Abdullah, during the first year in power, refocused the
government's agenda on economic reform.
Executive authority is vested in the king and his council of ministers. The king signs and executes all laws. His veto power may be
overridden by a two-thirds vote of both houses of the National Assembly. He appoints and may dismiss all judges by decree,
approves amendments to the constitution, declares war, and commands the armed forces. Cabinet decisions, court judgments, and
the national currency are issued in his name. The council of ministers, led by a prime minister, is appointed by the king, who may
dismiss other cabinet members at the prime minister's request. The cabinet is responsible to the Chamber of Deputies on matters of
general policy and can be forced to resign by a two-thirds vote of "no confidence" by that body.
Jordan's continuing structural economic difficulties, burgeoning population, and more open political environment led to the
emergence of a variety of political parties. Moving toward greater independence, Jordan's parliament has investigated corruption
charges against several regime figures and has become the major forum in which differing political views, including those of political
Islamists, are expressed. While King Abdullah remains the ultimate authority in Jordan, the parliament plays an important role.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Jordan
| INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES |
Approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan; 2004 Agreement
settles border dispute with Syria pending demarcation
settles border dispute with Syria pending demarcation
| REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) |
Refugees (country of origin): 1,835,704 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)); 500,000 (Iraq)
IDPs: 160,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2007)
IDPs: 160,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2007)
| ILLICIT DRUGS |
None reported.
| HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENTS, ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUES |
2009 Human Rights Report: Jordan
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a constitutional monarchy ruled by King Abdullah II bin Hussein. It has a population of
approximately six million. The constitution concentrates executive and legislative authority in the king. The multiparty parliament consists
of the 55-member House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayan), appointed by the king, and a 110-member elected lower house, the Chamber of
Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwwab). The 2007 Chamber of Deputies and municipal elections by and large went smoothly; however, local
observers alleged some irregularities. Authorities effectively controlled the security forces, but there were some instances in which
domestic and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) accused members of the police and security forces of using
unnecessary force and committing human rights abuses.
The government respected human rights in some areas, but its overall record continued to reflect problems.
On March 31, a new trafficking-in-persons law came into effect, followed on August 25 by new domestic worker regulations; the
government used both during the year to investigate and prosecute a limited number of trafficking-in-persons cases. On July 28, the
judiciary established a special honor crime tribunal that subsequently sentenced two perpetrators to 15 year murder sentences in both
cases tried before the court. These were the first honor killing cases in which the judge did not significantly reduce the sentence due to
claims of mitigating circumstances.
Click here to read more »
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a constitutional monarchy ruled by King Abdullah II bin Hussein. It has a population of
approximately six million. The constitution concentrates executive and legislative authority in the king. The multiparty parliament consists
of the 55-member House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayan), appointed by the king, and a 110-member elected lower house, the Chamber of
Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwwab). The 2007 Chamber of Deputies and municipal elections by and large went smoothly; however, local
observers alleged some irregularities. Authorities effectively controlled the security forces, but there were some instances in which
domestic and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) accused members of the police and security forces of using
unnecessary force and committing human rights abuses.
The government respected human rights in some areas, but its overall record continued to reflect problems.
- The government restricted citizens' right to change their government, and the electoral law led to significant underrepresentation
of urban areas and citizens of Palestinian origin in the Chamber of Deputies. - Domestic and international NGOs reported cases of arbitrary deprivation of life, torture, poor prison conditions, impunity,
arbitrary arrest and denial of due process through administrative detention, prolonged detention, and external interference in
judicial decisions. - Citizens continued to describe infringements on their privacy rights.
- Restrictive legislation and regulations limited freedom of speech and press, and government interference in the media and threats
of fines and detention led to self-censorship, according to journalists and human rights organizations. - The government also continued to restrict freedoms of assembly and association.
- Religious activists and opposition political party members reported a decline in government harassment; however, legal and
societal discrimination remained a problem for women, religious minorities, converts from Islam, and some persons of Palestinian
origin. - Local human rights organizations reported widespread violence against women and children.
- The government restricted labor rights, and local and international human rights organizations reported high levels of abuse of
foreign domestic workers.
On March 31, a new trafficking-in-persons law came into effect, followed on August 25 by new domestic worker regulations; the
government used both during the year to investigate and prosecute a limited number of trafficking-in-persons cases. On July 28, the
judiciary established a special honor crime tribunal that subsequently sentenced two perpetrators to 15 year murder sentences in both
cases tried before the court. These were the first honor killing cases in which the judge did not significantly reduce the sentence due to
claims of mitigating circumstances.
Click here to read more »
Committee against Torture Forty-fourth session Geneva,
26 April-14 May 2010
Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 19 of the Convention
Concluding observations of the Committee against Torture
JORDAN
A. Introduction
2. The Committee welcomes the submission of the second periodic report of Jordan, which, while generally following the Committee’s
guidelines for reporting, lacks statistical and practical information on the implementation of the provisions of the Convention and relevant
domestic legislation. The Committee regrets that the report was submitted 13 years late which has prevented the Committee from
conducting an on-going analysis of the implementation of the Convention in the State party.
B. Positive aspects
4. The Committee welcomes that in the period since the consideration of the initial report, the State party has ratified or acceded to the
following international instruments:
a) The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, in May 2009, and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and
Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the Convention, in June 2009;
b) The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in March 2008;
c) The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, in May 2007;
C. Principal subjects of concern and recommendations
Incorporation of the Convention into domestic law
7. The Committee notes with appreciation that the Convention was published in the Official Gazette in 2006, thereby rendering the
Convention part of the national legislation and thus enforceable in national courts. However, while referring to its previous concluding
observations (A/50/44, para. 165), the Committee regrets that although the State party has been party to the Convention since 1991, the
State party representatives acknowledged that it had not been in effect domestically until such publication. (arts. 2 and 10)
For the purposes of ensuring that incorporation of the Convention takes place as well as the prevention of conduct in contradiction to the
Convention, the State party should provide extensive training to its State authorities, law enforcement and other relevant officials, and the
judiciary to make them fully aware of the provisions of the Convention.
Overarching considerations regarding implementation
8. Despite the Committee’s requests for specific statistical information in the list of issues and the oral dialogue with the State party, the
Committee regrets that this was not provided. The absence of comprehensive or disaggregated data on complaints, investigations,
prosecutions and convictions of cases of torture and ill-treatment by law enforcement, security, intelligence and prison personnel as well
as on administrative detention, trafficking, ill-treatment of migrant workers, and domestic and sexual violence severely hampers the
identification of many abuses requiring attention (arts. 2, 12, 13 and 19).
The State party should compile statistical data relevant to the monitoring of the implementation of the Convention at the national level,
disaggregated by gender, age and nationality, as well as information on complaints, investigations, prosecutions and convictions of cases
of torture and ill-treatment, administrative detention, trafficking, ill-treatment of migrant workers, and domestic and sexual violence, and
outcomes of all such complaints and cases. The State party should, without delay, provide the Committee with the above-mentioned
detailed information, including on the number of complaints of torture that have been submitted since 1995, the date of the previous
consideration.
Click here to read more »
26 April-14 May 2010
Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 19 of the Convention
Concluding observations of the Committee against Torture
JORDAN
A. Introduction
2. The Committee welcomes the submission of the second periodic report of Jordan, which, while generally following the Committee’s
guidelines for reporting, lacks statistical and practical information on the implementation of the provisions of the Convention and relevant
domestic legislation. The Committee regrets that the report was submitted 13 years late which has prevented the Committee from
conducting an on-going analysis of the implementation of the Convention in the State party.
B. Positive aspects
4. The Committee welcomes that in the period since the consideration of the initial report, the State party has ratified or acceded to the
following international instruments:
a) The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, in May 2009, and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and
Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the Convention, in June 2009;
b) The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in March 2008;
c) The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, in May 2007;
C. Principal subjects of concern and recommendations
Incorporation of the Convention into domestic law
7. The Committee notes with appreciation that the Convention was published in the Official Gazette in 2006, thereby rendering the
Convention part of the national legislation and thus enforceable in national courts. However, while referring to its previous concluding
observations (A/50/44, para. 165), the Committee regrets that although the State party has been party to the Convention since 1991, the
State party representatives acknowledged that it had not been in effect domestically until such publication. (arts. 2 and 10)
For the purposes of ensuring that incorporation of the Convention takes place as well as the prevention of conduct in contradiction to the
Convention, the State party should provide extensive training to its State authorities, law enforcement and other relevant officials, and the
judiciary to make them fully aware of the provisions of the Convention.
Overarching considerations regarding implementation
8. Despite the Committee’s requests for specific statistical information in the list of issues and the oral dialogue with the State party, the
Committee regrets that this was not provided. The absence of comprehensive or disaggregated data on complaints, investigations,
prosecutions and convictions of cases of torture and ill-treatment by law enforcement, security, intelligence and prison personnel as well
as on administrative detention, trafficking, ill-treatment of migrant workers, and domestic and sexual violence severely hampers the
identification of many abuses requiring attention (arts. 2, 12, 13 and 19).
The State party should compile statistical data relevant to the monitoring of the implementation of the Convention at the national level,
disaggregated by gender, age and nationality, as well as information on complaints, investigations, prosecutions and convictions of cases
of torture and ill-treatment, administrative detention, trafficking, ill-treatment of migrant workers, and domestic and sexual violence, and
outcomes of all such complaints and cases. The State party should, without delay, provide the Committee with the above-mentioned
detailed information, including on the number of complaints of torture that have been submitted since 1995, the date of the previous
consideration.
Click here to read more »
Freedom In The World 2010 Report
Political Rights Score: 6
Civil Liberties Score: 5
Status: Not Free
Status Change Explanation
Jordan’s political rights rating declined from 5 to 6 and its status from Partly Free to Not Free due to King Abdullah’s
dismissal of the parliament and his announcement that elections would not be held until the end of 2010, as well as the
security forces’ increased influence over political life.
Overview
The king dissolved the parliament in November, about two years into its four-year term, and announced that new elections would not be
held until late 2010; ordinarily, elections would be held within four months of the parliament’s dissolution. The delay would allow the
government to rule by decree for at least a year, and it was expected to enact a series of unpopular market liberalization measures as well
as a new election law in the parliament’s absence.
The relationship between the government and political parties remained strained, however. In 2007, security forces arrested nine
members of the Islamic Action Front (IAF), the main opposition party and the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, for
“threatening national security” ahead of that year’s municipal and parliamentary elections. Only a handful of IAF candidates won seats in
the polls, which were marred by irregularities. A new political party law in 2008 required parties to have broader membership bases, and
the number of registered parties consequently fell to 14, from 37.
The king appointed a new government in February 2009, then unexpectedly dismissed the parliament in November. While new elections
would ordinarily be held within four months, the government announced that the polls would be postponed until late 2010, allowing it to
rule by decree for at least a year. The parliament had failed to pass government-backed economic reforms in August, and the cabinet
was expected to enact the legislation in the legislature’s absence. There was also speculation that the government would issue a new
election law in the coming year, potentially affecting the composition of any future parliament.
Jordan is not an electoral democracy. King Abdullah II holds broad executive powers, appoints and dismisses the prime minister and
cabinet, and may dissolve the National Assembly at his discretion. The 110-seat lower house of the National Assembly, the Chamber of
Deputies, is elected through universal adult suffrage. It may approve, reject, or amend legislation proposed by the cabinet, but its ability
to initiate legislation is limited. It cannot enact laws without the assent of the 55-seat upper house, the Senate, whose members are
appointed by the king. Members of both houses serve four-year terms. Regional governors are appointed by the central government.
The electoral system is heavily skewed toward the monarchy’s traditional base of support. Voters in the 45 multiseat parliamentary
districts each choose a single candidate, which favors tribal and family ties over political and ideological affiliations. In addition, rural
districts with populations of Transjordanian origin are overrepresented relative to urban districts, where most Jordanians of Palestinian
descent reside. Activists have repeatedly called for a new electoral law based on proportional representation. A 2007 law cleared the way
for that year’s municipal elections, in which all mayors and council members were elected, though an exception for Amman meant that
half of the city’s council members would continue to be appointed.
Click here to read more »
Political Rights Score: 6
Civil Liberties Score: 5
Status: Not Free
Status Change Explanation
Jordan’s political rights rating declined from 5 to 6 and its status from Partly Free to Not Free due to King Abdullah’s
dismissal of the parliament and his announcement that elections would not be held until the end of 2010, as well as the
security forces’ increased influence over political life.
Overview
The king dissolved the parliament in November, about two years into its four-year term, and announced that new elections would not be
held until late 2010; ordinarily, elections would be held within four months of the parliament’s dissolution. The delay would allow the
government to rule by decree for at least a year, and it was expected to enact a series of unpopular market liberalization measures as well
as a new election law in the parliament’s absence.
The relationship between the government and political parties remained strained, however. In 2007, security forces arrested nine
members of the Islamic Action Front (IAF), the main opposition party and the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, for
“threatening national security” ahead of that year’s municipal and parliamentary elections. Only a handful of IAF candidates won seats in
the polls, which were marred by irregularities. A new political party law in 2008 required parties to have broader membership bases, and
the number of registered parties consequently fell to 14, from 37.
The king appointed a new government in February 2009, then unexpectedly dismissed the parliament in November. While new elections
would ordinarily be held within four months, the government announced that the polls would be postponed until late 2010, allowing it to
rule by decree for at least a year. The parliament had failed to pass government-backed economic reforms in August, and the cabinet
was expected to enact the legislation in the legislature’s absence. There was also speculation that the government would issue a new
election law in the coming year, potentially affecting the composition of any future parliament.
Jordan is not an electoral democracy. King Abdullah II holds broad executive powers, appoints and dismisses the prime minister and
cabinet, and may dissolve the National Assembly at his discretion. The 110-seat lower house of the National Assembly, the Chamber of
Deputies, is elected through universal adult suffrage. It may approve, reject, or amend legislation proposed by the cabinet, but its ability
to initiate legislation is limited. It cannot enact laws without the assent of the 55-seat upper house, the Senate, whose members are
appointed by the king. Members of both houses serve four-year terms. Regional governors are appointed by the central government.
The electoral system is heavily skewed toward the monarchy’s traditional base of support. Voters in the 45 multiseat parliamentary
districts each choose a single candidate, which favors tribal and family ties over political and ideological affiliations. In addition, rural
districts with populations of Transjordanian origin are overrepresented relative to urban districts, where most Jordanians of Palestinian
descent reside. Activists have repeatedly called for a new electoral law based on proportional representation. A 2007 law cleared the way
for that year’s municipal elections, in which all mayors and council members were elected, though an exception for Amman meant that
half of the city’s council members would continue to be appointed.
Click here to read more »
World is 'winning' battle against death penalty despite setbacks
25 February 2010
Amnesty International's interim Secretary General has hailed recent global efforts to end the death penalty but warned that more needs to
be done to achieve the goal of full abolition.
Claudio Cordone told delegates at an anti-death penalty summit in Geneva that campaigners were "winning" the fight against capital
punishment.
"The day is coming when we can see an end to the death penalty worldwide. We must push on to consign the death penalty to join
apartheid, slavery and torture as embarrassments to human history," Cordone told members of the 4th World Coalition Against the Death
Penalty on Wednesday.
In 2009, for the first time in modern history, the whole of Europe was execution-free. Burundi and Togo became the 94th and 95th
countries worldwide to entirely remove state killings from their law, while several other nations reduced - or stopped - executions.
Among them was Pakistan, which carried out no executions in 2009 compared to at least 36 killings the year before.
Other countries who did not execute in 2009 include Indonesia, India, Mongolia, Algeria, Bahrain, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon and
Jordan.
However, the progress was tempered by the use of executions for political purposes in Iran. China and Saudi Arabia also continued to
carry out frequent executions, while Saudi Arabia and Iran continued to execute child offenders.
"We don't know exactly how many thousands of people are being executed in China, it's still a shameful state secret," said Cordone.
"while in the USA we still see grotesque incidents such as the botched execution of a man who after two hours of failed attempts to kill
him obtained a reprieve, now awaits a new date for his death.
"Those countries which persist in pursuing such an obscene punishment are steadily isolating themselves from the international
community, becoming a hard core that we need to challenge with increased assertiveness," said Cordone, welcoming the cooperation
between civil society, governments and intern-governmental organizations in the fight to rid the world of the death penalty.
More than 1900 activists from over 100 countries were expected to gather at the World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Geneva
on 24, 25, 26 February.
Click here to read more »
25 February 2010
Amnesty International's interim Secretary General has hailed recent global efforts to end the death penalty but warned that more needs to
be done to achieve the goal of full abolition.
Claudio Cordone told delegates at an anti-death penalty summit in Geneva that campaigners were "winning" the fight against capital
punishment.
"The day is coming when we can see an end to the death penalty worldwide. We must push on to consign the death penalty to join
apartheid, slavery and torture as embarrassments to human history," Cordone told members of the 4th World Coalition Against the Death
Penalty on Wednesday.
In 2009, for the first time in modern history, the whole of Europe was execution-free. Burundi and Togo became the 94th and 95th
countries worldwide to entirely remove state killings from their law, while several other nations reduced - or stopped - executions.
Among them was Pakistan, which carried out no executions in 2009 compared to at least 36 killings the year before.
Other countries who did not execute in 2009 include Indonesia, India, Mongolia, Algeria, Bahrain, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon and
Jordan.
However, the progress was tempered by the use of executions for political purposes in Iran. China and Saudi Arabia also continued to
carry out frequent executions, while Saudi Arabia and Iran continued to execute child offenders.
"We don't know exactly how many thousands of people are being executed in China, it's still a shameful state secret," said Cordone.
"while in the USA we still see grotesque incidents such as the botched execution of a man who after two hours of failed attempts to kill
him obtained a reprieve, now awaits a new date for his death.
"Those countries which persist in pursuing such an obscene punishment are steadily isolating themselves from the international
community, becoming a hard core that we need to challenge with increased assertiveness," said Cordone, welcoming the cooperation
between civil society, governments and intern-governmental organizations in the fight to rid the world of the death penalty.
More than 1900 activists from over 100 countries were expected to gather at the World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Geneva
on 24, 25, 26 February.
Click here to read more »
Jordan: Ensure Free Election Campaign
Government Arrests Boycotters, Bans Candidates' Debate
October 20, 2010
(New York) - Jordanian authorities should respect the right to free expression in the weeks leading up to national elections on November
9, 2010, Human Rights Watch said today.
In the past 10 days, authorities have arrested young people gathering for a rally calling for a boycott of the elections and censored a
news item critical of the government, in violation of the rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
"Jordanian authorities are trying to delegitimize the opposition, but instead they are delegitimizing the elections," said Christoph Wilcke,
senior Middle East researcher at Human Rights Watch. "These recent incidents of censorship and arrests of critics cast doubt on the
open contest of ideas necessary for the ‘transparent and fair' elections King Abudullah promised."
The rally was planned by the Youth Office of the Popular Unity Party. The Youth Office held a news conference on October 13 to
announce a campaign called "We Have Come to Make You Hear Our Voice." Party officials said they were responding to the
government's "Make Us Hear Your Voice" campaign, which is urging young voters to participate in the elections.
The Popular Unity Party's campaign is to press for a system of proportional representation, among other concerns, Dr. Fakhir Da''as, a
party official, told Human Rights Watch. The current "first-past-the-post" electoral system gives higher representation to sparsely
populated districts, where Jordanian tribes that are predominantly government loyalists live, and lower representation to densely
populated urban centers with high numbers of Jordanians of Palestinian origin.
The demand to change to a system of proportional representation has been a hotly contested political issue in the Kingdom. In November
2009, King Abdullah II dissolved parliament, calling for new elections within a year. In May, the government decreed a new election law,
but it maintained the present system with only minor changes in election districts.
"‘The government is here to silence unwelcome voices' could be an apt slogan for the arrest of campaigners who sought to bring their
concerns directly to the attention of the prime minister," Wilcke said. "One wonders which youth voices the government claims to have
heard."
On September 16, the party activists planned to gather at 5 p.m. in front of the prime minister's office in support of their campaign. By 4:
30 p.m. security forces had arrested a number of activists as they got out of cars.
Click here to read more »
Government Arrests Boycotters, Bans Candidates' Debate
October 20, 2010
(New York) - Jordanian authorities should respect the right to free expression in the weeks leading up to national elections on November
9, 2010, Human Rights Watch said today.
In the past 10 days, authorities have arrested young people gathering for a rally calling for a boycott of the elections and censored a
news item critical of the government, in violation of the rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
"Jordanian authorities are trying to delegitimize the opposition, but instead they are delegitimizing the elections," said Christoph Wilcke,
senior Middle East researcher at Human Rights Watch. "These recent incidents of censorship and arrests of critics cast doubt on the
open contest of ideas necessary for the ‘transparent and fair' elections King Abudullah promised."
The rally was planned by the Youth Office of the Popular Unity Party. The Youth Office held a news conference on October 13 to
announce a campaign called "We Have Come to Make You Hear Our Voice." Party officials said they were responding to the
government's "Make Us Hear Your Voice" campaign, which is urging young voters to participate in the elections.
The Popular Unity Party's campaign is to press for a system of proportional representation, among other concerns, Dr. Fakhir Da''as, a
party official, told Human Rights Watch. The current "first-past-the-post" electoral system gives higher representation to sparsely
populated districts, where Jordanian tribes that are predominantly government loyalists live, and lower representation to densely
populated urban centers with high numbers of Jordanians of Palestinian origin.
The demand to change to a system of proportional representation has been a hotly contested political issue in the Kingdom. In November
2009, King Abdullah II dissolved parliament, calling for new elections within a year. In May, the government decreed a new election law,
but it maintained the present system with only minor changes in election districts.
"‘The government is here to silence unwelcome voices' could be an apt slogan for the arrest of campaigners who sought to bring their
concerns directly to the attention of the prime minister," Wilcke said. "One wonders which youth voices the government claims to have
heard."
On September 16, the party activists planned to gather at 5 p.m. in front of the prime minister's office in support of their campaign. By 4:
30 p.m. security forces had arrested a number of activists as they got out of cars.
Click here to read more »
Thursday, 23 Sep 2010
King urges just peace in UN speech
New York, 23/9/2010, (Media & Communication Directorate - Royal Hashemite Court) -- His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday
reiterated that a two-state settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is the only hope for a comprehensive regional peace.
In remarks at the Plenary Session of the 65th General Assembly of the United Nations in New York, where he headed the Jordanian
delegation, King Abdullah said that the alternative to peace is more suffering, deeper frustration and the spread of warfare.
“Such a catastrophic scenario will continue to drag in the whole world, threatening security and stability far beyond the borders of the
Middle East,” the King told the international gathering.
In the speech, the King pointed to a resolution Jordan proposed to the General Assembly related to the introduction of an annual World
Interfaith Harmony Week.
“What we are proposing is a special week, during which the world's people, in their own places of worship, could express the teachings
of their own faith about tolerance, respect for the other, and peace. I hope this resolution will have your support,” the King said.
Click here to read more »
King urges just peace in UN speech
New York, 23/9/2010, (Media & Communication Directorate - Royal Hashemite Court) -- His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday
reiterated that a two-state settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is the only hope for a comprehensive regional peace.
In remarks at the Plenary Session of the 65th General Assembly of the United Nations in New York, where he headed the Jordanian
delegation, King Abdullah said that the alternative to peace is more suffering, deeper frustration and the spread of warfare.
“Such a catastrophic scenario will continue to drag in the whole world, threatening security and stability far beyond the borders of the
Middle East,” the King told the international gathering.
In the speech, the King pointed to a resolution Jordan proposed to the General Assembly related to the introduction of an annual World
Interfaith Harmony Week.
“What we are proposing is a special week, during which the world's people, in their own places of worship, could express the teachings
of their own faith about tolerance, respect for the other, and peace. I hope this resolution will have your support,” the King said.
Click here to read more »
Election fraud fears raised ahead of Jordan vote
Nov 4, 2010, 12:43 GMT
Amman - Jordan's state-funded human rights watchdog said Thursday it was concerned about new methods of 'vote buying' and other
election fraud tactics ahead of next week's polls.
'Such recurrent political and social pressures which seek to affect the fairness of the polling process do not live up to the
internationally-approved criteria,' the National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) said in a statement.
Those found guilty of buying and selling votes face spending up to seven years in jail.
The Islamic Action Front (IAF), part of the Muslim Brotherhood movement, has decided to boycott the election along with the allied
left-leaning Popular Unity Party (PUP), saying the government had failed to provide assurances that the election 'will not be rigged.'
The NCHR had also reported 'irregularities' in the polling process in the 2007 elections.
A total of 763 candidates will compete next week for the lower house's 110 seats.
The government in the Middle Eastern monarchy has pledged that there will be a fair voting process.
Click here to read more »
Nov 4, 2010, 12:43 GMT
Amman - Jordan's state-funded human rights watchdog said Thursday it was concerned about new methods of 'vote buying' and other
election fraud tactics ahead of next week's polls.
'Such recurrent political and social pressures which seek to affect the fairness of the polling process do not live up to the
internationally-approved criteria,' the National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) said in a statement.
Those found guilty of buying and selling votes face spending up to seven years in jail.
The Islamic Action Front (IAF), part of the Muslim Brotherhood movement, has decided to boycott the election along with the allied
left-leaning Popular Unity Party (PUP), saying the government had failed to provide assurances that the election 'will not be rigged.'
The NCHR had also reported 'irregularities' in the polling process in the 2007 elections.
A total of 763 candidates will compete next week for the lower house's 110 seats.
The government in the Middle Eastern monarchy has pledged that there will be a fair voting process.
Click here to read more »
Shadow Report
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
On the implementation of the ICCPR
Measures to combat terrorism and respect for the rights guaranteed in the Covenant (Prevention of Terrorism Act No. 5 of Jordan for
the year 2006) Question 3: Please provide detailed information on the legislation against terrorism and its compatibility with the rights
recognized in the Covenant 1) Article 3 of the Law stipulates the Prohibition of terrorist acts, which in its consideration is:
"I ‐ Establishment of any group, organization, association or affiliation to it (terrorist)."
The text lacks a legal definition of what constitutes a terrorist organization and who is authorized to determine the criteria of this
definition.
"II ‐ To provide any support to terrorism by action or money directly or indirectly."
This is another article in the law that is not clear because "supporting terrorism" may mean supporting the planning and the
implementation processes of the criminal acts or only idea of the creation of a group of terrorists. The meaning and scope of indirect
support is unclear. For instance, if a person has provided financial support to a charity in good faith, but it has later been established that
the charity has a link them with terrorist organizations, is the donor considered to have supported terrorism as well.
"III ‐ To recruit people inside or outside the Kingdom to join terrorist groups."
No problem in this article if it defines the concept of terrorist groups with great accuracy, because we are in Jordan in dire need to stop
the recruitment of young people to join al‐Qaeda groups, and then turning them into weapons of terror against the Jordanian society.
However the lack of definition of 'terrorist groups' in the legislation leaves it open to abuse. 2) Article 4 of the law stipulates that if the
Attorney General (the Attorney General State Security Court) receives reliable information that one person or group of persons are linked
to terrorist activity, he (the Attorney General) may issue any of the following decisions: monitor their residence, ban travel, inspect the
location, and/or as a precautionary measure seize their funds. The Attorney General has absolute authority in to take these actions against
any person "suspected of being linked to terrorist acts". This is an absolute and non‐specific security power and can include under its
framework the majority of Jordanian citizens as suspected terrorists. This represents a violation of the rights contained in Articles 9, 12,
and 17 of the ICCPR.
Click here to read more>>
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
On the implementation of the ICCPR
Measures to combat terrorism and respect for the rights guaranteed in the Covenant (Prevention of Terrorism Act No. 5 of Jordan for
the year 2006) Question 3: Please provide detailed information on the legislation against terrorism and its compatibility with the rights
recognized in the Covenant 1) Article 3 of the Law stipulates the Prohibition of terrorist acts, which in its consideration is:
"I ‐ Establishment of any group, organization, association or affiliation to it (terrorist)."
The text lacks a legal definition of what constitutes a terrorist organization and who is authorized to determine the criteria of this
definition.
"II ‐ To provide any support to terrorism by action or money directly or indirectly."
This is another article in the law that is not clear because "supporting terrorism" may mean supporting the planning and the
implementation processes of the criminal acts or only idea of the creation of a group of terrorists. The meaning and scope of indirect
support is unclear. For instance, if a person has provided financial support to a charity in good faith, but it has later been established that
the charity has a link them with terrorist organizations, is the donor considered to have supported terrorism as well.
"III ‐ To recruit people inside or outside the Kingdom to join terrorist groups."
No problem in this article if it defines the concept of terrorist groups with great accuracy, because we are in Jordan in dire need to stop
the recruitment of young people to join al‐Qaeda groups, and then turning them into weapons of terror against the Jordanian society.
However the lack of definition of 'terrorist groups' in the legislation leaves it open to abuse. 2) Article 4 of the law stipulates that if the
Attorney General (the Attorney General State Security Court) receives reliable information that one person or group of persons are linked
to terrorist activity, he (the Attorney General) may issue any of the following decisions: monitor their residence, ban travel, inspect the
location, and/or as a precautionary measure seize their funds. The Attorney General has absolute authority in to take these actions against
any person "suspected of being linked to terrorist acts". This is an absolute and non‐specific security power and can include under its
framework the majority of Jordanian citizens as suspected terrorists. This represents a violation of the rights contained in Articles 9, 12,
and 17 of the ICCPR.
Click here to read more>>
| Click map for larger view |
| Click flag for Country Report |
Abdallah II
King since 7 February 1999
King since 7 February 1999
Hussein bin-Abdallah
Prince and Heir Apparent since 1994
Prince and Heir Apparent since 1994
| TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
None reported.
