Amnesty International: 60 Political Prisoners in Jordan
Jordan, Politics, 6/24/1998

Amnesty International in its most recent report regarding the human rights in Jordan in 1997, said that about 350 people, among them prisoners of conscience, were arrested, "They were detained for political reasons," the report said, "About 50 of them were sentenced by the Court of Security of State."

"Ata Abu-Rashta, spokesman of Tahrir Party in Jordan, was sentenced for six months," Amnesty International said. Tahrir Party's goal is to restore the Islamic Khalafat system. Rashta was previously sentenced to three years in jail because he published an article in Al-Anwar newspaper. Abdulla Bani-Issa, Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, was also sentenced to six months for publishing the article, but the Court of Appeal vetoed the decision.

Four other members of the Tahrir Party are still in jail for distributing pamphlets, "They are considered prisoners of opinion," the report noted.

Most of the 350 detainees in 1997 were political prisoners. They are members of Islamic or radical organizations that oppose the peace treaty with Israel.

Others were put in custody for publishing articles or delivering speeches that criticized the Jordanian government. Most of the detainees were freed without being indicted for their crimes.

There are still about 60 other political prisoners who were convicted for violence.

Some 50 others, 20 of them captured in previous years, were sentenced for political incitement. Ikrima Mohammed, Yousif Ahmed and Ali Mohammed Mustafa were convicted for plotting to make terrorist attacks and possessing land mines. They confessed only to the latter. They were sentenced to death, but it was reduced to a life sentence.

Ten members of an Islamic group were sentenced in March. The sentences were confirmed by the Court of Appeals. Some of them were sentenced to life in custody for making explosives.

Two other Jordanians, Salem Bikhet and Ahmed Khalid who attacked the French ambassador to Jordan, were sentenced, one to life and the other to ten years in jail.

Amnesty International criticized the death penalty in Jordan.

It urged Jordan's government not to send Iraqis and Libyans who seek asylum back to their home countries.

Previous Stories:
  Jordan's Crown Prince stresses respect for human rights   (5/4/1998)
  Crown Prince Hassan: Islamic - Christian dialogue important   (4/23/1998)
  Two international organizations criticize the prevention of Jordan to the peaceful negotiations   (4/13/1998)

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