UPDATE: May 16, 2002 TOUJAN AL-FAISAL SENTENCED TO 18 MONTHS IN JAIL http://www.learningpartnership.org/events/newsalerts/jordan0302.html Toujan al-Faisal, an outspoken advocate of free speech, domestic reforms, and women's rights, was convicted today of publishing "lies that hurt the state's integrity and honour," and sentenced to 18 months in jail. Al-Faisal was first arrested on March 16th after she accused Jordan's prime minister of corruption and the judiciary of being unjust. (For details, see WLP's March 28th alert at http://www.learningpartnership.org/events/newsalerts/jordan0302.html.) Court officials say the verdict cannot be appealed. The case went to trial on May 14th where al-Faisal defended herself before a three-man state security tribunal. Her team of lawyers had withdrawn from the case when they felt the judges' rulings were impeding their work. The chief judge in the case, Colonel Tayel al-Raqad, accused al-Faisal of having "exceeded the boundaries of acceptable criticism" before passing sentence. Toujan al-Faisal served in the Jordanian parliament from 1993-97 during which time she was an outspoken critic of the government and Muslim militants. She recently announced her intention to run for a parliamentary seat in the upcoming national elections to be held later this year. Please express your concern about the court proceedings and sentencing of Toujan al-Faisal to the following officials: His Majesty King Abdallah bin Hussein Office of H.M. the King Royal Palace Amman, Jordan FAX: 962-6-463-4755 Prime Minister Ali Abu Al-Ragheb P.O. Box 80 352 Amman, Jordan FAX: 962-6-464-2520 Mr. Faris Nabulsi Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice P.O. Box 6040 Amman, Jordan FAX: 962-6-568-0238 Mary Robinson UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights CH 1211, Geneva 10, Switzerland Tel: 41-22-917-9000 Email: webadmin.hchr@unog.ch ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Women's Learning Partnership 4343 Montgomery Avenue, Suite 201 Bethesda MD 20814, USA Ph: (301) 654 2774 ... Fax: (301) 654 2775 mailto:wlp@learningpartnership.org Please Support Our Work...Donate On-line Today! http://www.learningpartnership.org/about/support_work.html
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