AMMAN— Activists on social media have been
actively engaging with the decision of the House of Representatives regarding
the General Amnesty Law for the year 2024, as proposed by the government
without any amendments during the initial discussion session, which was marked
by parliamentary calls for expanding the law.
اضافة اعلان
According to a report, the proposed General
Amnesty Law includes the release of 7,355 inmates from correctional facilities,
including around 4,200 with different charges and approximately 2,600
drug-related offenders. Before the law was passed, some political factions
expressed their concerns. MP Saleh Al-Armouti, head of the Islamic Reform Bloc,
criticized the law, stating that it lacks the essence of a true general amnesty
law, stripping it of substance.
During the parliamentary session discussing
the General Amnesty Law, Armouti expressed his dissatisfaction, questioning how
they could debate a law while the government continues to detain hundreds of
Jordanian youths, some of whom have been released by the judiciary while others
remain incarcerated due to administrative decisions. Armouti criticized the
government for being lenient towards its rights, such as taxes and public funds
while disregarding the rights of citizens. He highlighted the disparity in treatment
between government officials and ordinary citizens, stating that assaults
against ministers or officials are not covered by the amnesty, unlike offenses
committed by citizens.
Before the law was passed, some political factions expressed their concerns. MP Saleh Al-Armouti, head of the Islamic Reform Bloc, criticized the law, stating that it lacks the essence of a true general amnesty law, stripping it of substance.
Lawyer Anas Al-Dajah noted that the philosophy
behind the General Amnesty Law does not imply forgiveness for all crimes but is
named as such to distinguish it from private pardons. He explained that a
general amnesty is issued through a law to cover a specific set of crimes
determined by that law, following constitutional procedures from the issuance
of the royal decree to its preparation by the government, submission to the
House of Representatives and the Senate for approval. In contrast, a private pardon
is issued by the Cabinet to the King, not dependent on the type of crime but
rather includes names of criminals without specifying their offenses, leaving
their crimes intact.
He added, "The purpose of a general
amnesty is not to whitewash prisons, as punishment is originally intended to be
enforced. However, the General Amnesty Law serves as an exception to this
principle, aiming to achieve social justice and security by pardoning
individuals, especially considering that all accepted crimes pose a threat to
community safety and security. Despite some reservations, particularly
regarding intentional homicides, which the House of Representatives should have
linked to dropping personal rights, especially if the perpetrator lacks a
criminal record and committed the crime under unforeseen circumstances without
premeditation, the law stands out for including all check-related crimes
without dropping personal rights, addressing concerns of various segments of
Jordanian society."
He highlighted the disparity in treatment between government officials and ordinary citizens, stating that assaults against ministers or officials are not covered by the amnesty, unlike offenses committed by citizens.
Lawyer Hassan Hattab stated that the current
format of the General Amnesty Law for 2024, approved by the Jordanian House of
Representatives, covers approximately 7,500 convicted inmates in criminal
cases, as well as all violations and fines stipulated in the Penal Code. The
King's aim with the general amnesty is to alleviate burdens on citizens and
rehabilitate convicts. However, the government's approach to the General
Amnesty Law lacks substance, as it does not cover any crime victims who seek
forgiveness, nor does it include administratively detained individuals - those
detained under crime prevention orders - by the administrative authorities.
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