22 September 2010

Jordan: Jordanian writer disappeared by security forces

aluteibi
Mr Issam Tahar Al Uteibi, a well-known Jordanian writer and theologian, was disappeared on 17 September 2010 by officers of the Jordanian Central Intelligence Department in the Wadi Al Sir district of Amman, after being called in for questioning.

Al Uteibi has been consistently harassed by Jordanian security services for his political and religious views and was previously detained incommunicado for six years from 2002 to 2008, despite an order for his release by the Jordanian State Security Court in 2004.

Alkarama submitted his case to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) in 2007, and the WGAD adopted Opinion 18/2007 determining Al Uteibi's previous detention as arbitrary "in contravention of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)".

Under the current circumstances, the Jordanian authorities are acting in violation of their international obligations under the ICCPR and the Convention against Torture (CAT). As stipulated in the ICCPR, anyone arrested shall be informed of the reasons for their arrest and no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention.

Alkarama calls for the Jordanian authorities to immediately release Issam Mohamed Al Uteibi' or that he be charged and given a fair trial in a relevant court.

LINK:

Jordan - HR Instruments

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

ICCPR: Ratified on 28.05.1975
Optional Protocol: No

State report: Due on 29.10.2014 (5th)
Last concluding observations: 18.11.2010

Convention against Torture (CAT)

CAT: Accessed on 13.11.1991
Optional Protocol: No
Art. 20 (Confidential inquiry): Yes
Art. 22 (Individual communications): No

Last State report: 19.08.2014 (3rd)
Last concluding observations: 25.05.2010

International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED)

No

Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

Last review: October 2013 (2nd cycle)
Next review: N/A

National Human Rights Institution (NHRI)

National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) – Status A

Last review: 10.2010
Next review: 11.2015