THE CASE OF TOUJAN FAISAL: SCRATCHING ONLY MAKES

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 003249

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/16/12
TAGS: PHUM JO PGOV
SUBJECT: THE CASE OF TOUJAN FAISAL: SCRATCHING ONLY MAKES
IT WORSE

REF: AMMAN 2559

Classified By: AMBASSADOR EDWARD W. GNEHM: REASONS: 1.5 (B) and (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY. Imprisoned former Member of Parliament
Toujan Faisal continues to be a topic of discussion and
debate within various elements of Jordanian society.
Following her arrest and sentencing (reftel),the outspoken
and antagonistic former MP has reportedly gone on a hunger
strike in prison and claims to be suffering from breast
cancer (without access to proper medical treatment). On June
11, a group including Faisal's attorney and human rights
activists held a press conference, at which they blamed the
GOJ for Faisal's incarceration and called for her immediate
release. While there is scant domestic media attention to
this issue, it is a very hot topic of conversation among many
Jordanians, with the majority opining that Faisal is
imprisoned wrongfully and that her accusations of corruption
against GOJ officials definitely hit a nerve - and therefore
must be true to some degree. END SUMMARY.

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PRESS CONFERENCE CALLS FOR GOJ TO RELEASE FAISAL
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2. (C) On June 11, a group of human rights activists calling
themselves the "Popular Committee to Support Toujan Faisal"
held a press conference at the Jordanian Women's Federation
in Amman. Attendees included local human rights advocates as
well as some from Egypt and Europe. The committee issued a
statement calling for Faisal's immediate release. In
addition, the statement condemned the GOJ's silence to their
repeated requests to release Faisal. The statement also said
that the GOJ's handling of this case marks a deterioration of
democracy in Jordan and called for "canceling temporary laws
that prohibit freedoms and speech freedom".


3. (C) One of the committee members, Fawzi Samhoury
(Protect),is a long-time embassy contact. Samhoury told
POLOFF that the committee had sent a letter more than two
weeks ago to King Abdullah signed by approximately one
hundred people, requesting the release of Faisal. The letter
has yet to receive a response. As a result, the committee
moved forward with the press conference. Samhoury noted that
there was scant media attention, which he attributed to a
'boycott' by the mainstream media. Two local papers did
cover the conference (Arab Al-Yawm and Al-Sabil) with short
stories. The articles allege that Faisal is ailing from
breast cancer, is on a hunger strike, and is being denied
access to appropriate medical treatment.

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FAISAL'S SITUATION RESONATING WITHIN JORDANIAN SOCIETY
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4. (C) Toujan Faisal has been a persistent topic of
conversation for many Jordanians. Members of the young,
upper middle-class crowd (who seem most interested in reform)
routinely cite the Faisal case as evidence in their growing
belief that the GOJ is feckless in dealing with corruption.
Increasingly, Jordanians are focusing their blame for
Faisal's imprisonment away from the PM and other GOJ
officials and towards the King. As the King is the only
person capable of releasing Faisal, the argument goes, he
must either pardon her or shoulder the blame for her
incarceration. At a recent dinner with prominent Circassian
community leaders, the Ambassador was struck by the intensity
and duration of discussion concerning Faisal. NOTE: Faisal
is herself a member of the Jordanian Circassian community.


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COMMENT
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5. (C) As reported in reftel, Faisal was a nearly forgotten
former MP until her sentencing and subsequent imprisonment.
While most Jordanians generally consider her nothing more
than an irritating political sidewinder, the State Security
Court's conviction and sentencing of Faisal has created a
level of sympathy for her that she otherwise would not enjoy.
In addition, her imprisonment encourages discussion her of
allegations of corruption. Most Jordanians with a knowledge
of the case believe that the GOJ's rash action against Faisal
lends credence to her allegations. Faisal's imprisonment is
likely to remain a thorn in the side of the GOJ as long as it
continues.
Gnehm