Toujan al-Faisal released, still legally sued

The state security court in Jordan on Wednesday released ex- parliament member Mrs Toujan al-Faisal after 12 days of holding her in custody in the case of "publishing false statements that may defame the state and its officials."

A Jordanian judicial source said that the release of Toujan al-Faisal who is (53 year old) came as a result of a "personal guarantee of the Chechen and Sjarkas tribes to which al-Faisal belongs," including two former ministers. However, the Jordanian military court stressed continued investigations in the case filed against al-Faisal in preparation to bring her before the state security court within days.

The release of al-Faisal, the first Jordanian woman to be elected to the Jordanian parliament for the session of 1993- 1997, came at the personal guarantee as she announced the halt of her 10 day hunger strike.

One member of the defence committee for defending al-Faisal said that "she returned back to her home waiting for what the military court will decide, noting that she needs rest for 48 hours at least in order to restore back her activity." The Jordanian attorney general last Saturday ordered admiting the former parliament member to hospital after a deterioration in her health condition because of her continued food strike since her suspension on March 16.

Al-Faisal had accused the government of Ali Abu al-Ragheb in a message at her internet web site of doubling annual fees on cars for personal interests and this resulted in addressing the first accusation against her. Moreover, the Jordanian attorney addressed to her another accusation which relates to "issuing news outside the country that will undermine the sovereignty of the country." This relates to al-Faisal participation in a people's festival in solidarity with Iraq, held in Baghdad two weeks earlier.