CAT/C/JOR/CO/3
26.
The State party should expedite the investigations into all cases of death in
custody, in accordance with international standards of investigation, bring the
perpetrators to justice and punish them accordingly, if convicted.
Reports of attacks against journalists
27.
The Committee is concerned at reports of excessive use of police force in dispersing
demonstrations, including and in particular against journalists, which may amount to illtreatment or torture. The Committee is concerned that investigations into the use of force
against journalists by police and security forces in relation to demonstrations that took place
in April and in July 2011 were carried out by the Public Security Directorate that employs
the alleged perpetrators, and that the investigations resulted in only disciplinary measures
being taken against perpetrators in relation to the July 2011 demonstration, but none of the
alleged perpetrators in either the April or the July 2011 events was prosecuted.
28.
The State party should:
(a)
Carry out prompt, impartial, thorough and effective investigations into
all allegations of excessive use of force, including torture and ill-treatment, by law
enforcement officials and ensure that those suspected of committing such acts are
immediately suspended from their duties for the duration of the investigation, while
ensuring that the principle of presumption of innocence is observed;
(b)
Prosecute persons suspected of committing torture or ill-treatment
against journalists in the above-mentioned events;
(c)
Take immediate measures to eradicate all forms of harassment and illtreatment by law enforcement officials during demonstrations and ensure that law
enforcement officials are trained in professional techniques, in particular not to use
force unless it is strictly necessary and to the extent required for the performance of
their duty.
29.
The Committee is also concerned that the vague definition of “terrorist act” in the
Anti-Terrorism Law (No. 55), including the charge of “harming relations with a foreign
country”, and the existence of restrictive provisions in the Penal Code on the freedom of the
media and of publication, have resulted in substantial constraints on the work of journalists,
many of whom were subject to arbitrary detention in the absence of procedural guarantees
and face criminal charges before the State Security Court for allegedly violating the abovementioned laws (arts. 2, 12, 13 and 16).
30.
The Committee recommends that the State party remove the obstacles affecting
the work of journalists, including by introducing the necessary amendments to the
Anti-Terrorism Law and the Penal Code, and provide effective protection against
arbitrary arrest and detention of journalists, including by prosecuting and punishing
those responsible for such acts.
Monitoring detention centres
31.
While noting that article 10 of the Law on Societies (No. 51) empowers the National
Centre for Human Rights to visit all correctional and rehabilitation facilities, the Committee
is concerned that the Centre is unable to make unannounced visits to detention facilities run
by the General Intelligence Directorate, and that, in reality, only a limited number of visits
to the Directorate were carried out by the Centre during the period under review. It further
regrets the lack of information on steps taken by the State party to follow-up on visit reports
as well as on measures taken to implement the recommendations put forward by the Centre.
The Committee is also concerned at the limited resources allocated to the Centre. Finally,
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