Human Rights in Jordan - Overview

Overview

The 2011 Jordanian protests began in the wake of unrest in Tunisia and Egypt, when starting in January several thousand Jordanians staged weekly demonstrations and marches in Amman and other cities throughout Jordan to protest government corruption, rising prices, rampant poverty, and high unemployment. In response, King Abdallah replaced his prime minister and formed a National Dialogue Commission with a reform mandate. The King told the new prime minister to "take quick, concrete and practical steps to launch a genuine political reform process", "to strengthen democracy," and provide Jordanians with the "dignified life they deserve." The King called for an "immediate revision" of laws governing politics and public freedoms. Initial reports say that this effort has started well, but much work remains to be done.

The 2010 Arab Democracy Index from the Arab Reform Initiative ranked Jordan first in the state of democratic reforms out of fifteen Arab countries.

Civil liberties and political rights scored 5 and 6 respectively in Freedom House's Freedom in the World 2011 report, where 1 is most free and 7 is least free. This earned Jordan "Not Free" status. Jordan ranked ahead of 6, behind 4, and the same as 8 countries in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Areas of concern with respect to human rights in Jordan include:

• limitations on the right of citizens to change their government peacefully;
• a newly drafted electoral law that perpetuates significant under representation of urban areas and citizens of Palestinian origin in leadership positions;
• cases of arbitrary deprivation of life, torture, poor prison conditions, impunity, arbitrary arrest and denial of due process through administrative detention, and prolonged detention;
• breaches of fair trial standards and external interference in judicial decisions;
• infringements on privacy rights;
• limited freedoms of speech and press, and government interference in the media and threats of fines and detention that encourage self-censorship;
• restricted freedoms of assembly and association;
• legal and societal discrimination and harassment of women remain a concern, although there have been significant improvements in recent years;
• legal and societal discrimination and harassment of religious minorities and converts from Islam are a concern, although Jordan is widely acknowledged as being a strong supporter of religious freedoms;
• legal and societal discrimination and harassment of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community;
• loss of Jordanian nationality by some citizens of Palestinian origin;
• restricted labor rights; and
• abuse of foreign domestic workers.