You are here

Contravening treaties

Aug 20,2016 - Last updated at Aug 20,2016

An acquaintance of mine graciously accepted to be the guarantor of the purchase of a washing machine valued at about JD650.

The buyer defaulted on his payments, without this compassionate man knowing. 

One day, the guarantor was going to the Jordan Valley by bus for work. On the way there was a police checkpoint where all passengers were asked to show their identity cards.

The police computer checked all the IDs collected and this particular man was asked by the police to get down from the bus. 

He was immediately handcuffed and put in a van. The police told him he was “wanted” to make good on his guarantee.

He was taken from one police station to another in a bigger van with no windows and filled with all sorts of people detained for a variety of crimes.

Some nine hours later, my acquaintance was finally taken to a police station where he was allowed to make just one phone call, while remaining handcuffed and behind iron bars.

He was able to call his wife and son at about midnight and they hurriedly collected in the middle of the night the amount in question and made the necessary payment.

That was not enough, because after payment, the family members had to go to the Department for Judicial Executions to remove his name the next morning from the computer list of people whose detention is requested for a variety of reasons.

When I heard the story I told myself that could not be happening in 21st century Jordan.

Where in the world can a person be treated in such a humiliating way because of a financial transaction he is innocent of and who is not guilty of any wrongdoing?

Countries across the globe have a more “civilised” way to make people make good on their contractual engagements or court decisions, including putting liens on their proprieties, or salaries, or whatever.

But to handcuff them and take them in a police van with “criminals” till the wee hours of the morning when they can finally contact a loved one to pay the required amount is terribly wrong.

This measure is used even at airports when people wish to leave or arrive from trips abroad and, on the spot, are requested to make full payment of some due or spend few days in jail.

This practice has got to stop. 

Collection of dues as per court judgements must be done in the civilised manner all modern states use, and that is to either confiscate one’s personal properties or by whatever other “ordinary” means of settling contractual claims.

Often people affected by such arbitrary measures are caught off guard, unaware even of court summons or cases against them because these are served through newspapers, which most people do not read, or when they are out of the country.

There is urgent need for a general review of the existing practice and to apply a more sensible way of making good on court judgements.

 

This travesty of justice must stop, especially when it openly contravenes Jordan’s human rights treaty obligations, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

up
14 users have voted.


Newsletter

Get top stories and blog posts emailed to you each day.

PDF