By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

AMMAN, Jordan – On November 20, Jordanians will vote for a new Parliament.  This election was to be a show-case of the country’s dedication to become more democratic.  However, fear of Islamic movements, such as Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, and of secular liberal political parties, caused the government to drop many reforms planned for this election.  Fear of a growing Islamic movement caused the Jordanian government to delay some electoral reforms, to the disadvantage of liberal and moderate secular parties or those advocating greater Palestinian rights.

Many critics already allege that the government is interfering with the election or will use illegal tactics employed in past elections.  At the end of October, the government approved a list of more than 900 individuals who may run in the election.  The authorities banned Toujan al-Faisal from running for Parliament.  Al-Faisal is a former MP and an outspoken critic against government corruption.

Jordanian election laws prohibit an individual from being a candidate if they are committed a crime, unless it was political, and if they were sentenced to more than one year in prison.  This criminal record is erased after five years the sentence is completed.  In 2002, al-Faial was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in jail for “harming the state’s dignity” when she accused a former prime minister and his cabinet of financial corruption.  After serving 100 days of her sentenced, she was pardoned by King Abdullah II.  Since al-Faisal did not serve her entire sentence, the government claims that she is ineligible to run for Parliament.  Al-Faisal stated, “here, the head of a corrupt government decides who can and cannot run for office.  They want a Parliament that won’t hold the government accountable for corruption.”  She accused the government of “hand-picking” its opposition.

Another group that is unhappy about the current election regulation is the Muslim Brotherhood, which is represented in Jordanian politics by the Islamic Action Force (IAF).  The group finds most of its support in urban areas and among Jordan’s naturalized Palestinian population.  The IAF is the main opposition party and in the last parliamentary election, in 2003, it won 17 seats in the 110 seat parliament.

The IAF claims that current election laws and practice prevent a truly democratic result.  The districts are gerrymandered so that representatives in the urban areas, which are 50 to 60 percent Palestinian, represent around 95,000 people.  However, legislators of rural areas each represent about 2,000 individuals.  The IAF also claim that pro-government parties bus individuals, such as soldiers, to election districts where the race is tight and so that their candidate wins.

Ever since Hamas’ victory in the Palestinians elections and their violent take over of Gaza, Jordanian officials have expressed concerns over the degree of freedom granted.  IAF’s former secretary general, Hamza Mansour, uses language and ideas that are similar to those of Hamas. Officials fear similar sanctions or instability will occur in Jordan if Islamists win a majority, or even a substantial minority, in Parliament.  A supporter of a pro-government candidate, Ahmed Saffadi, stated “we have democracy, but we do not want it to go to the extent where radical people could rule the country.”  Another supporter claimed that the conditions would not allow for more freedom, but rather the wisest and safest move would be to encourage stability.

For more information, please see:
Jordan Times – Elections watch – 12 November 2007

Al Jazeera – Jordan backtracks on electoral law – 11 November 2007

New York Times – Jordan, fearing Islamists, tightens grip on elections – 11 November 2007

International Herald Tribune – Jordan’s first woman MP ruled ineligible to contest upcoming elections – 23 October 2007