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