Deputies endorse draft juveniles law

AMMAN — The Lower House on Tuesday endorsed the draft juveniles law after deliberating over it for four sessions.

During their meeting, MPs changed their previous decision to decrease the minimum age of responsibility before the law to seven years, increasing it to 12 years instead.

The decision was taken after several deputies requested that the provision in question be reopened for discussion. 

MPs opposing the change argued that if the minimum age is increased, criminals would take advantage of this and use children between the ages of seven and 12 to commit crimes that they will not be legally held accountable for.

Veteran MP and former Lower House speaker Abdul Karim Dughmi (Mafraq, 1st District) was among the supporters of lowering the accountability age.

He said there is a need in our country to maintain this age at seven as plenty of criminals would use this loophole in the law to commit crimes using this category of children.

But the majority of MPs present decided to increase the age to 12 despite Dughmi’s argument.

The newly endorsed bill also bans prosecuting juveniles at any tribunals except the “special courts for juveniles” to be formed in each governorate. 

These courts must issue their verdicts within three-to-six months, according to the law, which also prohibits the trial of any juvenile in the absence of his/her lawyer and legal guardian.

Earlier this week, MPs agreed to allow the use of force, isolation and detention in dealing with violent juveniles, particularly those who disobey instructions.

They banned any use of force against juveniles unless they exhibit violent behaviour.