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Project to rally public support for law amendments to prevent torture

By Mohammad Ghazal - Oct 09,2014 - Last updated at Oct 09,2014

AMMAN — Citizens and stakeholders representing various segments of society will be able to sign a petition as of mid-October to rally support for amending various laws to prevent torture and ill-treatment.

Under a project implemented by Watan for Human Rights (WHR), more than 5,000 signatures will be collected to support amendments that are in line with international standards and norms, while taking into account local values and needs, said Lorance Awwad, chairman of the WHR, which is an NGO founded by a group of human rights activists.

The petition is part of an EU-funded project called “Promoting a complete domestication into Jordan legal framework of UN standards for prevention of torture and other forms of ill-treatment”, Awwad told The Jordan Times on Thursday.

“We have completed the revision of some laws related to the prevention of torture and ill-treatment, and we will continue the revision during the next period. Revision of these laws is conducted with the participation of all stakeholders, including experts, academics and officials,” he said.

In October 2015, a list of recommendations will be submitted to the Lower House, coupled with the petition to officially ask the government to amend some laws, according to Awwad.

“The project seeks to improve our laws in this regard. The idea of the scheme is to rally public support as well as feedback from specialists,” he noted.

“The recommendations will seek to ensure an effective enforcement of the UN Convention Against Torture, which the Kingdom endorsed in 2006,” the activist said.

"Our ultimate objective is to enhance Jordan’s international reputation in this domain.”

The implementation of the project, which is supported by the Spanish NGO RESCATE International, involves holding meetings with lawmakers and the formation of a group of experts to draft the recommended amendments after in-depth studies.

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