JORDAN: AFTER "MINISTRY OF INJUSTICE" COMMENT,

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 000392 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/09/2020 TAGS: PHUM SOCI KDEM KWMN JO SUBJECT: JORDAN: AFTER "MINISTRY OF INJUSTICE" COMMENT, FEMALE MAYOR JAILED FOR CONTEMPT Classified By: Ambassador R. Stephen Beecroft for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d). ¶1. (C) On February 1, the local media, including electronic websites, reported that Rana Hajaya, Jordan's only female mayor, had been jailed for contempt of court during a legal dispute involving her family members. Hajaya was sentenced to one week imprisonment without bail, but was released the next day. ¶2. (C) According to the mayor, she received unfair treatment from the judge during this family-related trial in retaliation for remarks she had made in her official capacity earlier in the week. In an effort to protest what she described as the "arbitrary dismissal" of 30 local court employees, she had been attempting to meet with the Minister of Justice (MoJ) to discuss the matter. When the Minister declined to meet with her, she publicly referred to the MoJ as the "Ministry of IN-Justice." In a conversation with POL LES, she alleged that the judge in her family's case had been ordered to "teach her a lesson." When she loudly disparaged his impartiality during courtroom proceedings, the judge found her in contempt and had her led away in handcuffs. ¶3. (C) Comment: Hajaya is a POL contact who has partnered with AID on some local projects and participated in a 2006 International Visitors Program. She has been described as having a "strong, outspoken personality" and she is well-respected in her local community. It is important to note that this case involved a personal family issue and that she was not in court on matters related to her official position. ¶4. (C) Contacts tell us that Hajaya's 2007 election caused tension between her tribe and its local adversaries. They believe that this court case, which has been in progress for 6 months, and the judge's actions may have, in fact, been influenced by tribal rivalry. ¶5. (C) In an attempt to determine the MoJ's position, POLOFF queried a senior official, who said he was unaware of the arrest. Similarly, when the Ambassador inquired about the mayor's imprisonment, Chief of the Royal Court Nasser Lozi also said he was not aware of the issue, but promised to look into it. ¶6. (C) This case grabbed the attention of local media and on-line bloggers, both because of Hajaya's profile and in light of the heightened concerns about the perceived crackdown on free speech, especially criticisms of the government. End Comment. Beecroft