NCHR report sheds light on impact of pandemic on civil, political rights

AMMAN — The National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) on Wednesday released a report on the impact of the pandemic on civil and political rights during the March-May period of 2020, during which lockdown restrictions were imposed for the first time in the Kingdom to curb the spread of the virus.

Speaking during a press briefing, NCHR Chairman of the Board of Trustees Irhail Gharaibeh and NCHR Commissioner General Alaa Armouti reviewed the key findings of the report, based on the complaints made to the centre, as well as the analysis of relevant defence orders.

A number of recommendations emerged from the report, the most prominent of which is the necessity of introducing a constitutional restriction on the implementation of defence order and martial law to protect rights and public freedoms.

The recommendations also sought to limit the detention powers in cases of defence order violations to the judicial authority and avoid overcrowding in temporary detention centres. 

Despite the Judicial Council and the State Security Court’s measures to contain the spread of coronavirus, the NCHR had received complaints related to the right to a fair trial during the three-month period, reporting the inability to have a legal representation and access to a lawyer, according to the report cited by Petra.

The report also highlighted the need for expanding remote jury trials and applying alternatives to imprisonment, mainly community sanctions and alternative forms of punishment other than deprivation of liberty for juvenile offenders, in addition to increasing legal aid programmes.

The NCHR has reported a “clear discrepancy” when it comes to monitoring the implementation of the curfew in several governorates of the Kingdom, as well as within the governorates themselves, according to the report.

The report also called for amending Defence Order No. 8 by cancelling the article on the "publication or re-publication or circulation of any news about the pandemic that would horrify people via the media or social media platforms", as the existing legislation is sufficient.

A number of violations against privacy, in coincidence with the detection of the first COVID-19 case in the Kingdom, were reported in the report, as personal data of COVID-positive individuals were disclosed, besides the broadcasting of official documents belonging to COVID-19 patients.

Accordingly, the report called for protecting individuals’ right to privacy, especially their personal data and amending legislation to ensure full protection. The report urged to take legal action against those breaching others’ privacy and confidentiality.

During March 18-May 10 period of 2020, the NCHR received 57 complaints, including 38 related to civil and political rights and six on economic, social and cultural rights, while complaints related to the rights of the most vulnerable groups totalled 13.

The centre also received about 18 assistance requests, all related to economic, social and cultural rights.