JORDAN: HONOR CRIME TRIBUNAL HANDS DOWN ANOTHER

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 002741 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2019 TAGS: PHUM PREL KCRM KWMN KJUS JO SUBJECT: JORDAN: HONOR CRIME TRIBUNAL HANDS DOWN ANOTHER FULL MURDER SENTENCE REF: A. AMMAN 2624 ¶B. AMMAN 2578 ¶C. AMMAN 2324 ¶D. AMMAN 2307 Classified By: Ambassador Robert S. Beecroft for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ). ¶1. (U) On December 8, Jordan's new honor crime tribunal sentenced a man to a full 15 year murder sentence for shooting and killing his 26-year-old daughter on her wedding day in April 2007. The perpetrator reportedly celebrated in front of wedding attendees the cleansing of the family's honor, which had been tarnished due to prior alleged affairs with her fiancee. The tribunal rejected the perpetrator's argument that the crime was committed in a moment of rage and, therefore, should be granted a minimal sentence. The tribunal also refused to halve the sentence to seven-and-a-half years when the victim's family dropped charges against the defendant. This case was the second tried before the tribunal, which also issued a full 15-year murder sentences, without any mitigating circumstances, in its prior verdict. The sentence will now be appealed to the Court of Cassation. ¶2. (U) The tribunal's verdict came two days after yet another honor killing. On December 6, a thirty-year-old woman was stabbed to death by her brother in a Palestinian refugee camp near the northern city of Jerash. The woman was reportedly killed while visiting her five-year-old son, who lives with family members. Police have stated the perpetrator's motive was alleged "bad behavior." The prosecutor has charged the perpetrator with premeditated murder. According to Post's count, there have now been 22 honor crimes this year. ¶3. (U) Activists, pleased with honor crime tribunal's rulings, are now pushing for a similar tribunal at the appellate level to ensure fairer and stronger sentences at all levels of the judiciary. On December 6, a criminal court was forced to review its prior seven-and-a-half year conviction of an honor crime perpetrator because the Court of Cassation (appellate court) felt the perpetrator acted in a "moment of rage" and should receive a lenient sentence. After review, the criminal court (not the tribunal as the case was originally tried before its formation) decided to uphold their original seven-and-a-half year verdict. The case will again return to the Court of Cassation. ¶4. (C) Comment: The honor crime tribunal has now issued full murder sentences in its first two rulings. The serious effort by the royal court and by senior judicial officials to strengthen honor crime sentences is starting to shift judicial thinking and have an impact on verdicts. However, the recent Cassation Court ruling shows that judicial philosophy towards honor killings has not changed in all segments of the judiciary and highlights the need for legislative changes to strengthen sentences. The new government could pass such legislation on a "temporary" basis with no sitting parliament but it remains unclear if such an action will be taken, especially given the government's focus on the economy, decentralization, and holding parliamentary elections by the end of 2010. Post does anticipate that the judiciary will continue to take action internally on issues such as honor crimes, child abuse, and domestic violence, especially with the reform-minded Aymen Odeh staying on as Minister of Justice in the new government. End Comment. Beecroft