Cairo  24 October 2012
ANHRI expressed its satisfaction with the decision of the Jordanian authorities to release 19 of the detainees belonging to the popular movement in a number of governorates of Jordan, in a response to the popular pressure and the several calls of the regional and international  human rights organizations.

The Jordanian King, Abdullah II, has issued instructions to the Jordanian authorities, yesterday morning of Tuesday, October 23, 2012, to release 19 detainees belonging to the popular movement. This comes after the mass demonstrations in the capital of Amman and many cities, in last Friday which were known as “Friday of the Feast to the detainees”. Come at the top of all these demands the release of all the detainees. This comes after all the calls by many organizations whether regionally and internationally related to human rights, including ANHIR, for the need of the immediate release of the detainees due to their participation in peaceful demonstrations. It is note worthy that the lawyers and activists have confirmed that the State Security Court, a special court includes among its panel military-staff, stalling on the release of detainees, due to procedures’ mistakes. Which prompted some activists to protest in front of the Court. Even at the moment of writing this press relase the release procedures are moving slowly, even after paying the bail. It should be pointed out that the Jordanian authorities had been, in such cases, to keep the cases against activists pending, to remain a sword directed on their necks can be used whenever they need. In addition to force ban of traveling on some activists in these cases as long as such cases are frozen without a decision.

ANHRI said that “the decision to release the detainees is a good sign, especially since that their situation inside the Jordan’s prisons arouse a lot of concerns in the light of that 6 were on a hunger strike. In addition to the deteriorating of the health situation of two of them due to this hunger strike. We hope that this will be the beginning of the shift in the approach adopted by the Jordanian authorities with the oppositions, who pursue peaceful means to express their opposition, which are means guaranteed by the Jordanian Constitution and the international covenants due respect”.

ANHRI calls the “the Jordanian authorities to drop all the false charges already fabricated against the activists released and remove any restrictions to the exercise of their rights to freedom of the movement and peaceful organizing of demonstration. ANHRI calls for the need to stop tracking the political activists by using loose laws that allow pressing different charges for them due to the exercise of their peaceful activities which are constitutionally protected and should not be punished by law”.

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