Keeping up with developments

Minister of Justice Bassam Talhouni has just announced that the 1960 Penal Code will be revamped in order to deal with contemporary crimes and situations not recognised by the old legislation.

The minister revealed that the new proposed bill will comprise 170 provisions that are either new or amendments of the old ones, citing some of crimes that were omitted in the 1960 criminal code, including car theft, illegal border crossings, illegal strikes and sexual harassment.

The draft of the new law will be screened and examined at length by local stakeholders under the watchful eye of the government.

Revising and amending the old criminal law is overdue. The legislation, issued in 1960, has failed to keep pace with developments, on top of which is the rise of terrorism and radicalism, and various international principles that the country ratified and which, as a result, became legally bound on Jordan.

Given the complexity of international norms, the scrutiny of the new bill should be conducted by individuals specialised in human rights and well versed in binding international treaties.

The expertise of foreign specialists might be sought in order to make sure that Jordan complies with international jurisprudence on crime and punishment before the final draft becomes ready for adoption by Parliament.

This way, the country can be sure that the new legislation is adopted for a long time, and does not have to undergo further amendments soon after it is duly adopted.

The new law has to be correct and sound, and comply fully with international norms before it is submitted to Parliament for adoption.

It will, after all, be the decisive tool in the administration of justice, and there is no place for errors there.