A/HRC/4/33/Add.3
page 29
17.
The Special Rapporteur strongly recommends the closure of the Al-Jafr Correction
and Rehabilitation Centre [he welcomes recent information that the Government has
closed down Al-Jafr as of December 2006]. Furthermore, criminal charges should be
brought against the director of the facility and other officers responsible for torture in
Al-Jafr.
III. SIWAQA CORRECTION AND REHABILITATION CENTRE, SIWAQA
(Visited on 27 June 2006)
18.
Located approximately 75 km outside of Amman, along the Desert Highway, Siwaqa is a
sprawling facility with a capacity for about 2,400 inmates. It is comprised of 13 wings with
several support buildings, which include a supermarket, handicraft workshops, a mosque,
theatre, sports field, and even an olive grove and farm. According to the director, at the time of
the Special Rapporteur’s visit, there were just over 2,000 inmates in Siwaqa, 90 per cent of
whom were serving their sentences and the remaining prisoners were on remand. In Jordan
executions are carried out at Siwaqa, and around 28 prisoners were awaiting death sentences at
the time of the visit. The Special Rapporteur interviewed detainees in the solitary confinement
wing, on death row, the section for new arrivals, as well as the so-called Tanzeemat, or Islamic
extremist, wing. About 10 prisoners were interviewed at Siwaqa, but only the following persons
agreed to make their allegations public.
(a)
Solitary confinement cells
19.
Mahmud Walid A., aged 24, a journalism student. He reported that five years ago he
was taken by narcotics officers to the CID, where he was interrogated in connection with a
murder investigation. He was kept in an office and forced to sign a statement. When he asked
what he was signing, he was smacked, his hands were tied behind his back, and was beaten until
he agreed to sign. The prosecutor that came the next morning, insulted him, and beat and kicked
him in the stomach. He was taken to the crime scene and was forced to pose for photos.
Although the real murderer confessed, according to his lawyer, he nevertheless was convicted,
sentenced to death, and remains on death row. When he first arrived at Siwaqa, he was abused
and attempted suicide. The guards said that if he complained, they would expedite his execution
date. Upon complaining to the director, he was reportedly told by him to forgive and forget. He
has been detained for two years in Siwaqa, and was previously held for three years on remand in
Juweidah. The Special Rapporteur subsequently discussed this case with the Prison Director.
20.
The Government informed that Mr. Walid did not appear to have been held in the
correction centre. The name transmitted by the Special Rapporteur may not be correct and this is
required in order to follow up.
(b)
Tanzeemat wing
21.
Munzir Mahmud Khalil Sa’ad Abu Zahr, aged 25, a graphic design student.
On 21 July 2005, his home was raided by masked men security officers. He was handcuffed,
blindfolded, and taken away to GID for 11 months. He was held in a 12 m x 10 m cell, and was
brought from time to time to the “yard” where he was interrogated. He recalled that the
interrogators inquired, “What mistakes did you make in life? Either you confess, or you must
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