Senate legal committee approves 2025 penal code draft amendments

AMMAN — The Senate Legal Committee, chaired by Senator Ahmad Tbeishat, on Sunday approved the 2025 Penal Code draft amendments submitted by the Lower House, endorsing the legislation without amendments.

The committee meeting was attended by Minister of Justice Bassam Talhouni, Minister of State for Legal Affairs Fayez Qudah, Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice Waleed Kanakrieh, Secretary General of the Judicial Council Ali Masimi, and Prosecutor General Hassan Abdallat, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

The proposed amendments seek to expand the application of non-custodial alternatives to imprisonment by enhancing judicial discretion and broadening eligibility criteria for such measures. They also empower the enforcement judge to collect court-ordered fines under the provisions of the Law on the Collection of Public Funds.

Aligned with a broader shift toward restorative justice, the amendments aim to facilitate the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders, reduce repeat offences, and alleviate pressure on correctional facilities. 

Key provisions include enabling the suspension of final court sentences and granting judges the authority to postpone or divide fine payments into instalments — steps intended to help reduce prison overcrowding and improve access to justice.