Jordan Times
Friday, August 11, 2006
Royal Decree recalls
Parliament for extraordinary session
A package of 42 draft laws and amendments are up for discussion, including the
controversial anti-terrorism law
By Mohammad Ben Hussein
AMMAN — A Royal Decree was issued yesterday to
summon the Parliament for an extraordinary session to start Sunday, the Jordan
News Agency, Petra, said.
The government has provided Parliament with a package of 42 draft laws and
amendments to be discussed during the session, including the controversial
anti-terrorism law and political parties law.
It is not yet clear how long the session will last, however, observers expect it
to last around a month.
Among the many laws and articles of legislation to be discussed is the draft
municipalities’ law, which would pave the way for municipal elections.
The government has promised to conduct municipal elections by September this
year, but observers say it is unlikely the polls will be held due to time
constraints.
The government has earmarked 14 pieces of legislation for deliberation in line
with its stated policy to fight corruption and push forward much needed economic
recovery.
Parliamentarians are scheduled to discuss the draft anti-money laundering,
anti-corruption bureau and financial disclosure laws and debate amendments to
the banks, sales and income tax laws.
His Majesty King Abdullah last year instructed the government to forge ahead
with economic reform by introducing a number of bills aimed at fighting
corruption within the public sector as well as nepotism and favouritism.
In his lengthy policy statement in December 2005, Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit
promised to wage an all-out war on corruption in the country.
A number of politically-oriented draft bills will be also up for discussion,
including political parties, human values, the right to obtain information and
fatwa laws. Legislators will also discuss amendments to the Press and
Publications Law.
The draft amendment to this law drew widespread criticism from journalists and
human rights activists for including a clause allowing for the imprisonment of
journalists.
However, Government Spokesman Nasser Judeh, recently said the government intends
to include a clear provision stipulating the abolition of jail sentences for
journalists.
MPs will also deliberate the controversial draft anti-terrorism law, formulated
in the wake of the November 2005 triple suicide attacks in the capital that left
60 people dead and over 100 injured.
The government will label the legislation “the National Security Law.”
Human rights activists have criticised the draft law on the grounds that it
provides for the indefinite detention of suspects.
A surprise twist came when Parliament announced amendments to legislation on
capital punishment. The government recently exempted a number of offensives from
the death penalty in line with a policy to phase out capital punishment in the
country.
The move came after a number of leading international human rights groups called
on the government to abolish the death sentence.
But conservative MPs and lawyers said the government would face stiff opposition
in Parliament over its goal of turning Jordan into the first Arab country to
abolish capital punishment.
The House is also expected to 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, lawmakers passed unprecedented 65 bills.
Around 150 temporary laws are currently at the Lower House awaiting
deliberation.
Next week’s session comes a week after the State Security Court convicted two
Islamist MPs, Mohammad Abu Fares and Ali Abul Sukkar, on charges related to
their condolence visit to the family of Abu Mussab Zarqawi.
Abu Fares was jailed for two years and Abul Sukkar for a year-and-a-half.
A third legislator, Deputy, Jaafar Hourani was acquitted.