The *FREE ARAB VOICE*
January 6, 2001

Amman, Jordan

1) Several political prisoners who were arrested in connection to
   pro-Intifada activities in the last two months were released
   in the last few days. As a complete list of all political prisoners
   is not fully known, only a partial list of those released could be
   obtained. These include Fahmi Sahweil, Fadi Abdul Razzaq, Atta Sharrari,
   Ossama Hraithan, and Ibrahim Abu Diyah. Many others like Khaled Odwan and
   Rami Eylawah remain in jail. The move to release some of the prisoners,
   starting from Eid El Fitr, took place after a sit-in on December 24th
   demanding such release took place before Parliament and after a letter
   to the same effect from several members of Parliament to the Prime Minister.
   International pressure, along with protests from several human rights
   organizations, is deemed to have helped greatly.
   Needless to say dear reader, * YOUR * efforts were greatly helpful as well,
   so KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

2) This evening, dozens of human rights and pro-Intifada activists, representatives
   of human rights organizations, members of Parliament, and Jordanian opposition
   leaders crowded the hall of the Jordanian Writers Association near downtown Amman
   to discuss pro-Intifada political prisoners and the state of civil liberties in
   Jordan.

   Former political prisoners as well as some of the relatives of those who remain
   in jail were amongst some of those present. THE MEETING ENDED IN THE ESTABLISHMENT
   OF A COMMITTEE TO COORDINATE BETWEEN DIFFERENT ACTIVISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND TO
   OVERSEE THE CONTINUATION OF THE EFFORTS TO RELEASE POLITICAL PRISONERS, put an
   end to security pursuits, house searches after midnight, arbitrary detentions,
   mass arrests, firing from jobs, interrogations without a lawyer, and to abrogate
   the unconstitutional ban on marches and demonstrations.

   Representatives of the main human and political rights groups in the country
   were present at the meeting including the Arab Organization for Human Rights,
   the Jordanian Association for Human Rights, the Jordanian Association for
   Citizens’ Rights, the Liberties Committee of the Union of Professional
   Associations, the Liberties Committee of the Jordanian Parliament, and the
   Liberties Committee of the Jordanian Writers Association which hosted the
   event. Members of the Popular Committees to Support the Aqsa Intifada and
   to Protect Jordan were also present.

   Among the members of Parliament present were Khalil Haddadin, Mahmoud Kharabsheh,
   and Nashaat Hamarneh. Opposition leader Laith Shubeilatt and Palestinian resistance
   veteran Bahjat Abu Garbiyeh were also there. There were also dozens of writers,
   lawyers, independent activists, affiliated activists, journalists, and last but
   least, undercover cops.

   After a spokesperson for the Writers Association welcomed the attendees, two
   moderators gave brief speeches, then several of the former political prisoners
   spoke about the experience of getting arrested, interrogated, and jailed ten
   years after the alleged lifting of martial law. The floor was then opened for
   discussions and suggestions. Most of the speakers expressed concern for the
   deterioration in the state of civil liberties in Jordan especially since the
   beginning of the Second Intifada, and demanded that different sorts of actions
   be taken to alleviate this situation. Laith Shubeilatt prioritized the demand
   of having a lawyer present during interrogations, not just in the courtroom
   after confessions have been obtained by coercion. Bahjat Abu Gharbiyeh
   emphasized the need to not forget about supporting the Intifada along with
   working for the release of political prisoners who were arrested in connection
   to the Intifada. Some attendees spoke about the need to take the protests
   against the exponential acceleration of the violations of civil liberties in
   the aftermath of the Second Intifada to the street and to the international
   media, and not just be content with satisfying one’s conscience with addressing
   letters to whom it may concern.

   As mentioned above, the meeting ended in the formation of a committee to
   coordinate and oversee activities pertaining to the problem at hand, and
   we’ll be keeping you posted. For the time being, to have so many courageous
   people attend such a meeting and declare the need to take action openly is
   itself an unusual event. Hopefully there is much more to come. THERE IS NO
   SALVATION FOR THE ARAB PEOPLE BUT IN POLITICAL ACTION.

Later
Ibrahim Alloush

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