Jordan: Suppression, Arrests Continue
=====================================

Amman, Jordan
March 20, 2002

Just when Amnesty Internation issued a statement yesterday deploring the
deteriorating state of freedom of expression in Jordan and condemning the
continued arrests of former member of parliament, Toujan Faisal, and the
editor of Al Bilad weekly, Hashem Al Khalidi, for publishing articles that
tackle financial corruption in governmental circles, we received confirmed
reports about the presence of dozens of young men in Jawideh Prison who are
being held for allegedly participating in pro-Intifada demonstrations.

According to these reports, these young men are being beaten and humiliated
continuously in an attempt to break their morale.  In fact, this is because
it is guys like these, without titles or renown, who shoulder the main
burden of oppression when freedom of expression takes a tangible form on the
street.

Yesterday, March 19, 2002, security troops prevented a sit-in that sought to
demand the release of Mrs. Toujan Faisal.  The sit-in was supposed to take
place at one pm at the Fourth Circle in Amman, in front of the Prime
Minister's office.  But the first few demonstrators could stand peacefully
by the sidewalk no more than seconds, when the heavily present security
troops intervened to break it up.  This, of course, is happening at a time
when Arab regimes are trying to 'embarass' Sharon with initiatives, like
those of Prince Abdallah, giving away concessions Zionists could not even
obtain through the use of force, as if all the killings, assassinations,
mass arrests, house demolitions, city blockades, not to mention the reneging
on peace treaties is not enough to show the world that the Zionists do not
want peace!  Either way, it would be so grand if Arab regimes could display
the same type of 'shrewdness' and tolerance with the Arab people, especially
when it comes to easing up on freedom of expression and grass-roots marches
in support of the Intifada..

Among those arrested in the last few days was Tayseer Shrouf, a member of
the Association against Zionism and Racism (AZAR), who was called in for
questioning on Monday, March 18, 2002, and has not returned home since then.
  Below you shall find the letter addressed to the Arab Organization for
Human Rights on Mr. Tayseer Shrouf's behalf:

"By the Name of God, the Merciful and the Compassionate,

Amman, 3/19/2002

The Arab Organization for Human Rights,

Dear Sir/Madam,

We would like to inform you that Tayseer Mustafa Ibrahim Shrouf, a member of
the Association against Zionism and Racism, and a member of the board of Ibn
Rushed Cultural Forum, has been called in by General Intelligence for
questioning on Monday, March 18, 2002, and has not returned home since then.

Signatories:

Ibn Rushed Cultural Forum, Azmi Mansour, President
the Association against Zionism and Racism, the Administrative Board
Tayseer Shrouf's wife, Ihlam Abu Gharbiyah"

In another development, the former head of Jordanian General Intelligence,
Samih Al Batikhi, has been detained in connection with the financial
corruption scandal that became known as "Global Gate", in reference to a
firm named "Global Business" which was implicated in wrongdoing.  Mind you,
it was what they wrote about financial corruption in governmental circles
which landed Toujan Faisal and Hashem Khalidi in jail.  If you want to learn
more about the "Global Gate" affair, read the following article (in Arabic)
by Majed Toubah (the first part of the article), and Ibrahim Alloush (the
latter part), on the following link:


http://islamonline.net/arabic/economics/2002/03/article05.shtml

Later
Ibrahim Alloush

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