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