|
Opposition In Jordan To Union Arrests
by Tareq Ayyoub
AMMAN, Jan 28 (IslamOnline) - Lawyers on Sunday marched to the Jordanian parliament in protest over the arrest of seven professional unions activists on charges of belonging to an illegal group.
The rally is the first step in a campaign aiming at releasing the members of the Anti-Normalization Committee in the professional unions, arrested late Friday for issuing a list that included the names of public figures, lawmakers, actors, businessmen, and commercial firms that deal with Israel.
The arrested were identified as: Ali Abul Sukar, Mohammad Abu Jbarah, Ahmad Armouti, Abdul Rheem barakat, Issam Abu farhah, Subhi Zaghlan and Ghassan Do'ar.
Another member, Ali Hattar, whose name was included among those arrested, is currently visiting Iraq.
The government, which has repeatedly warned the professional unions to refrain from such a step, said it would interrogate those arrested on charges related to "membership of an illegal group."
It added that releasing the list was a serious action that could "undermine the investment opportunity in the Kingdom and threaten the lives of those included in the list."
During Sunday's rally, at least 200 lawyers marched from the Palace of Justice to the Lower House amid tight security.
Police were stationed at the main gate of the parliament to prevent protesters from taking to the street. But the participants dispersed peacefully after a short meeting with Lower House Speaker Abdul Hadi Majali, who promised them the Chamber would take necessary measures to investigate the arrests of the seven activists.
The rally was part of a Jordanian Bar Association one-hour protest that included calls for halting works of lawyers in all courts in the Kingdom.
The professional unions, the bedrock of opposition to normalizing ties with Israel, have been extremely active in the cause.
Despite the October 1996 Peace treaty between Jordan and Israel, a large part of Jordanian society is against normalizing ties with Israel. In a recent poll conducted by the Center for Strategic Studies, over 75% of Jordanians consider Israel an enemy.
Over half of Jordan's 5.2 million people are of Palestinian origin.
Lower House members were divided during discussions concerning the arrests, as some supported the government's steps, while others lashed out at the move and demanded the immediate release of those arrested.
Lawmaker Mohammed Oran, an opposition MP, criticized the government and called on the government to allow opponents to the peace treaty with Israel to express their opinions.
"We urge the government to refrain from such steps and allow people to express their opinions freely," Oran told parliament during its regular session Sunday.
"The constitution has ensured the right of expression, and these people have the right to show their rejection to normalization of ties with Israel," the lawmaker added.
Deputy Mifleh Rhaimi, a pro-government lawmaker, called on the government to act firmly against "these people who are trying to appoint themselves as guardians on the people and choose what is good and bad for them."
Acting Prime Minister Saleh Irsheidat said the case is in the hands of the judiciary and reiterated the government's stand to support democracy and the constitution that governs the rights of expression for all citizens.
Irsheidat, responding to dissenting deputies' comments, said that Prime Minister Ali Abul Ragheb, currently visiting Egypt, would deal with the case "once he returns back to Jordan."
|
