JORDAN DEMOCRATIC REFORM STATUS REPORT: THIRD

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 008303

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/19/2015
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KMPI JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN DEMOCRATIC REFORM STATUS REPORT: THIRD
QUARTER 2005

REF: A. STATE 152818


B. AMMAN 7979

C. AMMAN 4125

D. AMMAN 5232

Classified By: CDA DANIEL RUBINSTEIN FOR REASONS 1.4 (b and d)


1. (C) Summary. Ref A contained the democracy strategy for
Jordan, which identified freedom of the press, protection of
women, and judicial reform as priorities. Progress on each
of these points is assessed below. The "desired outcome"
provided by ref A leads each section.

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FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
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2. (C) DESIRED OUTCOME: The GOJ should eliminate criminal
penalties under the press law, cease to harass and detain
journalists, and grant licenses to at least one private radio
station and one TV station to broadcast on all subjects.


3. (C) Press Laws: The recommendations of the royal
commission for the National Agenda, led by Deputy Prime
Minister Marwan Muasher (ref B),will include a measure on
press and publications, and another on the right of
journalists to access information. These changes would
require acts of Parliament. In conversations with Post,
Muasher recognized that liberalizing legislation was only a
first step; of more importance will be implementing the
reforms.


4. (SBU) Radio Broadcast Licenses: No new stations were
licensed during the quarter. Any new station must receive a
license from the Audio/Visual Commission (AVC),and then
authorization from the Cabinet before transmitting. All of
the current FM stations broadcast entertainment/music and
abstain from political reports. A different (and more
expensive) class of license must be obtained for news
reporting. The AVC is reviewing applications for small,
university-based radio stations; one application is from
Al-Hussein University in Ma'an in the south, supported by the
British Council, and another is from Yarmouk University in
Irbid in the north, supported by Western Kentucky University,
State, and USAID. UNESCO is also reportedly trying to
acquire a license to broadcast in Madaba, southwest of Amman.


5. (C) TV Broadcast Licenses: No new stations were licensed
during the quarter, and none of the previously approved
stations have begun broadcasting yet. The terrestrial
station belonging to the owner of Al-Ghad newspaper, a
centrist Arabic daily, will begin broadcasting in March 2006,
according to the AVC. Two current private TV stations
include a business channel and a real-estate channel. Post
is looking into reports that a second applicant for a new TV
license has faced difficulties with the security services.
Seven functioning satellite TV stations continue to operate
in Jordan's Free Media Zone (FMZ). Several of the stations
operating out of the FMZ are facing legal problems over
copyright infringement issues, not freedom of the press
issues.


6. (SBU) Press Association: In September, the National Agenda
commission recommended the repeal of laws that require
journalists to join the Jordan Press Association (JPA). The
GOJ believes that allowing journalists to opt out of JPA
membership will free them from the political agenda of the
association's leadership, who oppose most of the government's
reform agenda as well as normalization with Israel. This
will be reported in detail SEPTEL.


7. (SBU) Technical Assistance: USAID is due to award a new
technical assistance contract in November 2005 to support
free and independent media in Jordan. The contract program
will improve university journalism curricula, strengthen the
skills of practicing journalists, assist in liberalizing
legislation, and improve the business development skills of
mass media. The overall goal is to professionalize and
de-politicize the media. DRL and ECA also support programs
in this area, and MEPI has a regional media support program
that includes Jordan.

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PROTECTION OF WOMEN
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8. (C) DESIRED OUTCOME: The GOJ should support the
enforcement of legal codes protecting women and civil society
organizations should report a 25 percent increase in the
number of honor crimes prosecuted over the next year.


9. (U) Honor crimes that are reported are prosecuted. The
concerns of women's and human rights activists are focused on
the fact that sentences handed down to perpetrators of these
killings are often very short, thanks to a loophole provide
by Article 98 of the Jordanian penal code. The chief
prosecutor of the criminal court system appeals all sentences
that are shorter than those recommended by his prosecutors.
In the third quarter, the chief prosecutor appealed at least
one short sentence; a ruling on the appeal is still pending.
The Family Protection unit of the Public Security Directorate
is increasing public awareness of domestic violence and is
offering greater services to its victims, including
counseling for families and victims, and monitoring of
families in high-risk situations (ref D).


10. (U) A women's shelter designed to house and help
potential victims of honor crimes live independently still
has not opened. According to NGO and GOJ sources, the
construction of the shelter is complete, but administrative
questions linger. The shelter is part of the GOJ's Family
Protection Project, under the patronage of Queen Rania.


11. (U) Freedom House is undertaking an awareness campaign,
sponsored by MEPI, to increase awareness of violence against
women, including conducting rural workshops and holding
public performances of an interactive play on this subject.

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JUDICIAL REFORM
--------------


12. (C) DESIRED OUTCOME: The GOJ should adopt and implement
the new judicial code of conduct.


13. (U) There are two USAID-sponsored judicial reform
programs in Jordan. The first, a $3.5 million project
implemented by the American Bar Association (ABA),aims to
strengthen judicial independence and integrity, reduce demand
on courts through alternative dispute resolution (ADR),
upgrading legal education, and enhancing the legal
profession. A working group met in August to finalize its
report on recommendations to improve judicial accountability
and ethics. A Court Employee Ethics Committee is among the
accomplishments of the program, as well as a survey on ADR, a
legal education conference, and soon, the ABA will be
supporting a MEPI sponsored G8 Forum for the Future
Conference in Amman on civil society organizations and the
rule of law. The project began in May 2004 and is scheduled
to conclude in July 2007


14. (SBU) USAID's Improved Rule of Law Program, being
implemented by DPK Consulting, is a $7.8 million project
running from August 2004 through July 2007. It is working to
enhance the capacity of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ),
re-design an internal/supply-oriented court system,
strengthen the inspection and monitoring capacity, and
improve civil society, small grants and media. The Program
recently awarded a sub-contract to a local firm in order to
document court processes and procedures, and to standardize
the forms used by the MOJ and courts. Other recent
activities include assisting the MOJ to implement its reform
strategy, empowering women judges, and establishing baseline
date through surveys of judges, lawyers, litigants, court
users, and the public. Based on the results of the surveys,
the MOJ will be examining two areas of concern: pressure
exerted on judges, and discrimination in the courts.


15. (SBU) The Rule of Law Program authored a report on
judicial independence and developed a strategic planning
document during the quarter titled "Advancing the
Independence of the Jordanian Judiciary". A technical team
meeting was held in August to discuss progress made on the
automation of Amman's First Instance Court, the Notary Public
Department, and the Court of Appeal.
RUBINSTEIN