Jordan Human Rights
Human Rights Concerns
Amnesty International continues to be concerned about torture and ill-treatment in detention in Jordan, as well as the link between torture, unfair trials, and the death penalty. Amnesty International has particular concerns about the application of the death penalty in Jordan because there is a pattern of death sentences, and sometimes executions, occurring as a result of unfair trials where confessions extracted under torture are used as evidence against the defendants. There has also been a pattern of suppression of freedom of expression and association, especially in the wake of laws restricting freedom of the press and expression that were promulgated in the fall of 2001. Several clerics and journalists and members of professional associations have been arrested, detained, and charged for peaceful expression of their opinions. The practice of killing women and girls by husbands or family members because they have allegedly engaged in behavior that goes against social norms (so-called "honor killings") continues to be a problem in Jordan; measures calling for stricter punishment for those committing honor killings have failed to be enacted.
Honor Killings of Women
Prominent Jordanian investigative journalist Rana Husseini has written a book called Murder in the Name of Honor about the killing of women by their male relatives because of a perception of "unchaste" behavior. Ms Husseini will be in the United States to speak about her book at several events sponsored by Amnesty International
Protect female migrant workers in Jordan
On 30 October 2008, Amnesty International launched a report on the abuse of foreign women domestics who work in Jordan. There are about 40,000 registered foreign domestic workers in Jordan, and an additional estimated 30,000, many of whom suffer violations of their human rights.
Iraqi refugees in Jordan
Jordan currently hosts between 500,000 and 750,000 Iraqi refugees in Jordan. While Amnesty International recognizes that the Iraqi refugee crisis is the responsibility of the international community, it also calls for the Jordanian government to take steps to insure the safety of the refugees
Latest News
Jordan must fully investigate suspected police killingsNovember 18, 2009
UK: Law Lords give go-ahead for deportations, including that of Abu Qatada
February 18, 2009
Jordan: Isolated and abused: women migrant domestic workers in Jordan
October 30, 2008
Jordan: Drastic improvement needed for domestic workers
October 28, 2008
United Kingdom: Highest court to hear key test cases on deportations with assurances
October 22, 2008
UK deportation policy questioned by court
April 09, 2008
Latest Reports
Jordan: Isolated, Exploited, Abused: Jordan's women migrant domestic workersOctober 30, 2008
Iraq: Rhetoric and reality: the Iraqi refugee crisis
June 15, 2008
Vital UN human rights work under threat
May 09, 2007
Amnesty International Magazine article: Dirty Secrets in the War on Terror
September 06, 2006
