Jordan Times
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Extraordinary session to
focus on corruption, political development
By Mohammad Ben Hussein
AMMAN — The government has tabled seven pieces of
legislation to be discussed during the Parliament’s upcoming extraordinary
session, Deputy Zuheir Abul Ragheb said on Monday.
The session is expected to begin in the first week of July, he added.
“This year the session will last less than a month. Much less than we expected,”
Abul Ragheb told The Jordan Times.
Around 150 temporary laws are currently at the Lower House awaiting
deliberation.
Out of the 54 bills suggested by deputies, the government has selected seven
pieces of legislation for deliberation that are in line with its stated policy
to fight corruption and push forward the political development process.
In his lengthy policy statement in December 2005, Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit
promised to wage an all-out war on corruption in the country.
The draft legislation and amendments to be discussed include the financial
disclosure, anti-corruption, municipalities, political parties, human values and
press and publications laws.
The latter drew wide criticism from journalists and human rights activists for
including a clause allowing for the imprisonment of journalists.
Government Spokesman Nasser Judeh, however, recently said the government intends
to include a clear provision stipulating the abolishment of jail sentences for
journalists.
The seventh piece of legislation to be discussed is the controversial
Anti-Terrorism Law, formulated in the wake of the November 2005 triple suicide
attacks in the capital that left 60 people dead and over a hundred injured.
The government will name this piece of legislation “the national security law,”
according to Deputy Mamdouh Abbadi (Amman Third District).
Human rights activists have criticised the draft law on the grounds that it
provides for the indefinite detention of suspects.
The government is expected to announce the exact details of the upcoming
extraordinary session this week.
The House will also hold a special session to discuss the government’s
achievements since its formation last autumn.
The Parliament went into recess on April 1 with the next ordinary session slated
for November.
During the last session of Parliament, lawmakers passed an unprecedented 65
bills.