RAED HIJAZI DEATH PENALTY OVERTURNED BY

UNCLAS AMMAN 004467 SIPDIS FOR CA/OCS/ACS/NESA, NEA/ARN AND NEA/PA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CASC PREL PTER CJAN JO HIJAZI RAED SUBJECT: RAED HIJAZI DEATH PENALTY OVERTURNED BY CASSATION COURT REF: A) AMMAN 1405, B) AMMAN 122, C) AMMAN 77 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. JORDAN TIMES EDITION OF JULY 4, 2003 REPORTED THAT THE COURT OF CASSATION OVERTURNED THE EARLIER DEATH SENTENCE AGAINST AMCIT RAED HIJAZI. A NINE-JUDGE COURT OF CASSATION PANEL OVERTURNED THE STATE SECURITY COURT VERDICT AND SENTENCE, RETURNING THE CASE TO STATE SECURITY COURT WHICH IS NOT EXPECTED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE QUICKLY. ¶2. IN A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH CONOFF JULY 8TH, HIJAZI'S ATTORNEY ALLEGED THAT THE JUDGES DECIDED TO OVERTUN HIJAZI'S VERDICT BECAUSE THE STATE SECURITY COURT VIOLATED COURT PROCEDURES. THE ALLEGED VIOLATIONS WERE RELATED TO AN EARLIER CASSATION COURT RULING IN OCTOBER 2002 THAT OVERTURNED HIJAZI'S SENTENCE FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO CONVICT OF POSSESSING AND MANUFACTURING EXPLOSSIVE MATERIALS. THE ATTORNEY ASSERTED THAT, INSTEAD OF ABIDING BY THE COURT OF CASSATION'S ORIGINAL INSTRUCTIONS, THE STATE SECURITY COURT ISSUED A NEW VERDICT IN JANUARY WITHOUT CONDUCTING ANY NEW PROCEEDINGS OR EXAMINING NEW EVIDENCE. THIS, ACCORDING TO THE ATTORNEY, IS A VIOLATION OF COURT PROCEDURES AND LED TO THE VERDICT BEING OVERTURNED FOR A SECOND TIME. THE COURT OF CASSATION ALSO ASKED THE STATE SECURITY COURT TO DETERMINE WHETHER HIJAZI'S CHARGES SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN A ROYAL AMNESTRY IN 1999. GNEHM