One day after issuing a controversial law on public assemblies, the Jordanian government on Thursday drafted a new law that modifies the role of the State Security Court (SSC).
Both bills were announced while Parliament was in recess, triggering bitter criticism from opposition politicians.
The new temporary SSC law permits the court to keep suspects in custody for seven days instead of one, as stipulated in the original law.
The new law also gives the court jurisdiction over civil aviation crimes, including unauthorized penetration of the kingdom’s airspace by foreign aircraft.
One of the controversial articles of the law authorizes the prime minister to refer any case to the court at his own discretion, even if it does not fall under the court's jurisdiction. The original law did not grant the prime minister this authority.
According to the draft law, rulings by the SSC on crimes cannot be appealed in the Court of Cassation, as was the case with the original law.
Suspects in such cases can now be detained under an amendement that contradicts a provision in Penal Code.
The temporary law on public assemblies that was issued by the government last Wednesday was received with objections and criticism on the part of opposition political parties, the professional unions and jurists.
The law gives governors the authority to ban rallies unless they are licensed three days beforehand – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
