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Jordan's King Abdullah II Names International Judge As New Prime Minister
18-Oct-2011
Jordan's King Abdullah II designated Awn al-Khasawneh, a well known international judge as his prime minister Monday, a royal palace statement said, replacing a premier who ran afoul of reformers. The king instructed the new premier to swiftly open dialogue with opposition figures who have grown disgruntled with the pace of reform. ( See Related News)
International Judge Named Jordan's Prime Minister :
Jordan's King Abdullah appointed Awn al-Khasawneh, a former judge at the International Court of Justice, as prime minister in order to promote public confidence in a reform process that has been hit by several instances of violence and government failings.
Al Arabiya correspondence, Saad Silawi conducted an exclusive interview with New Jordanian Prime Minister.
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JORDAN’s REFORMIST KING
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BBC News: Jordan political reforms backed by King Abdullah 15 Aug 2011:
King Abdullah of Jordan has given his backing to limited constitutional reforms which aim to address continuing protests in the country. Since January actvists, inspired by events elsewhere in the Middle East, have called for political and economic changes. Jonathan Josephs reports.Jordanians Protest for Greater Reforms :
Protesters in Jordan gathered in the center of the capital, Amman on Friday, to call for crucial reforms which they say are long overdue.Hundreds of Islamists and leftist groups waved the national flag and shouted various slogans against corruption in front of al-Hussein mosque.
Unlike uprisings sweeping countries of the Arab Spring, Jordan has experienced minimal unrest, but reforms promised by King Abdullah have done little to calm the public's growing frustration against the ruling administration.
King Abdullah Meets Tribal chiefs across the Kingdom:
Mohammed Saleh, Jordan: I like my king! (Dubai Debates):
Mohammed Saleh, student at the American University in Dubai, with his take on the current edition of DubaiDebates.com, talks about Jordan and the positive effect legitimate criticism can have.
Jordan's king names judge as new prime minister by Jamal Halabi (AP)
AMMAN, Jordan(AP) — Jordan's King Abdullah II designated a well known international judge ashis prime minister Monday, a royal palace statement said, replacing a premierwho ran afoul of reformers.
The king instructed the new premier to swiftly open dialogue with opposition figures who have grown disgruntled with the pace of reform.
The appointment of Awn al-Khasawneh, a deputy chief of the Hague-based International Court of Justice, reinforces Abdullah's stated intentions of instituting reforms. The measures could include decentralization, fighting corruption, giving more independence to parliament and inviting the opposition into the government.
Al-Khasawneh,61, a liberal, has cordial ties with the opposition, including Jordan's powerful Muslim Brotherhood.
"We were hoping that the Cabinet would be sacked, and we wish the prime minister-designate success in serving Jordan and its people," said Brotherhood spokesman Jamil Abu-Bakr.
Al-Khasawneh succeeds Marouf al-Bakhit, 64, who resigned earlier in the day after a majority of 70 out of 120 parliamentarians called for his ouster.
"The prime minister-designate has a clean slate domestically and internationally," said Amjad Adaileh, an adviser to the king.
Underal-Bakhit, dialogue with the Islamist opposition and their leftist allies has "reached a dead end," he added.
Al-Bakhitis a tough ex-army general who was widely seen as dragging his feet in implementing reforms. He was also accused of corruption during his earlier 2005-2007 tenure as prime minister.
Recently the king said he was frustrated with the pace of reform.
Al-Khasawneh— who served as a chief adviser to Abdullah's late father, King Hussein — is set to form his Cabinet ahead of a 3-day special meeting of the World Economic Forum, which opens in Jordan onFriday.
Al-Khasawneh has a reputation as a clean politician and is a noted legal expert.
Abdullah told al-Khasawneh to launch an "effective and constructive dialogue with all political groups," according to a designation letter obtained from the Royal Palace.
The king said priority should be given to changing the parliamentary election law. The Islamist opposition claims it was designed to undercut its influence through disproportionate distribution of seats, giving the king's loyalists a majority and producing docile parliaments.
Abdullah called for an independent council to supervise upcoming parliamentary elections and a constitutional court to review laws.
He also demanded a "resolute" government stance against corruption.
Later Monday, Abdullah named Maj. Gen. Faisal Shobaki as the country's intelligence chief, replacing Gen. Mohammed Raqqad, who held the post since 2008.
Pro-reform activists accused Raqqad of trying to intimidate them from staging protests.
Shobaki served in Jordan's intelligence for more than two decades before becoming ambassador to Senegal and later Morocco.
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YES, PRIME MINISTER: A Step By Step Guide To Mossadegh's Premiership and the Coup of '53...
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Jordan to probe 'children abuse'
by Darius Kadivar on Wed May 16, 2012 08:49 AM PDTJordan to probe 'children abuse' (BBC, VIDEO)
A BBC Arabic documentary showing abuse at care homes for children with physical and mental disabilities in Jordan was aired this week.
After the broadcast, Jordan's Minister of Social Development ,Wajih Azaizeh, told the BBC that "an investigation will be conducted and the results will be open and clear."
The film shows pictures of children being beaten daily, humiliated, deprived of food and denied access to education.
BBC Arabic's Ghada Nassef reports.
BBC uncovers abuse at children's care homes in Jordan
by Darius Kadivar on Wed May 16, 2012 12:39 AM PDTBBC finds abuse at Jordan care homes (bbc)
A BBC Arabic investigation uncovers cases of children being seriously injured at Jordan's private care homes for the mentally disabled
He made a big mistake by
by vildemose on Thu Apr 26, 2012 03:52 PM PDTHe made a big mistake by letting his prime minister to resign...
A state of war only serves as an excuse for domestic tyranny.--Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.
Human Rights Watch: Jordan 'suppressing free speech'
by Darius Kadivar on Thu Apr 26, 2012 02:00 PM PDTJordan 'suppressing free speech' (bbc)
The Jordanian authorities are violating people's right to free speech and undermining the credibility of reform efforts, a human rights group has said.
Human Rights Watch said a journalist and the publisher of the Gerasa News website had been charged with "subverting the system of government".
The charges related to an article about King Abdullah's alleged intervention in a corruption investigation, it added.
HRW said the case was the fifth such incident in Arab kingdom this year.
Sahar al-Muhtasab and her brother Jamal al-Muhtasab, who both worked for Gerasa News, had been charged on 23 April, a statement said.
They had both worked on an article that quoted a member of parliament as saying King Abdullah had issued instructions to members of a parliamentary committee not to refer a former minister to court on corruption charges.Jordanian prime minister resigns
by Darius Kadivar on Thu Apr 26, 2012 01:56 PM PDTJordanian prime minister resigns (bbc)
Jordan's prime minister Awn Khasawneh has resigned, six months after forming a government which he promised would bring reform to the country.
The reasons for his resignation have not been revealed, but he is thought to be unhappy that the king had extended the current parliamentary session.
King Abdullah II has asked Fayez Tarawneh to form a new government.
Mr Tarawneh, who is 63, was prime minister and head of the royal court under Abdullah's father, King Hussein.Jordan searches for answers to Arab Spring demands
by Darius Kadivar on Wed Apr 25, 2012 04:58 AM PDTJordan searches for answers (bbc) By Dale Gavlak
King Abdullah of Jordan has managed to dampen down protests demanding reform and regime change as the Arab Spring revolts have erupted in Syria, Yemen, Bahrain and across North Africa.
But political analysts are sceptical about whether Jordan will be able to realise the changes demanded by street protesters since January.
Jordanian demonstrators are calling for the election of the prime minister by popular vote, want to see corruption seriously tackled and unemployment - which tops 13% - alleviated.
Protests here have been smaller and mainly peaceful, with no calls for the king to be removed.
Jordan king orders release of jailed activists who insulted him
by Darius Kadivar on Sun Apr 15, 2012 08:27 AM PDTJordan king orders release of jailed activists - FRANCE 24
AFP - Jordan's King Abdullah II on Sunday ordered the release of 19 political activists charged with insulting him during pro-reform demonstrations last month, a palace official said.
"The king instructed the government to take all necessary measures as soon as possible to release the jailed activists," some of them from the southern city of Tafileh, he told AFP.
"The decision was taken after the king met today with Tafileh's tribal leaders, who urged the king to pardon the activists."
Jordanian military prosecutors have accused the young activists of incitement against the regime, rioting and insulting the king.Jordan's Prince El Hassan: Suggestion of torture 'illogical'
by Darius Kadivar on Thu Feb 16, 2012 02:20 PM PSTPrince El Hassan of Jordan has told the BBC the implication that evidence obtained by torture is used in Jordanian courts is unacceptable to many in the country.
He said the suggestion that Abu Qatada would not get a fair trial if extradited from Britain was illogical.
He said the current prime minister of Jordan is a former High Court judge from the Hague and argued that the country had an independent judiciary.Radical cleric wins appeal against deportation from UK to Jordan
by Darius Kadivar on Tue Jan 17, 2012 06:14 AM PSTRadical cleric wins deportation appeal (bbc)
Radical cleric Abu Qatada wins his appeal against deportation from the UK to Jordan to face terror charges, at the European Court of Human Rights.
Darius jaan what the hell is going on over there?!
by Esfand Aashena on Fri Nov 04, 2011 09:54 AM PDTIs Jordan next? Should we start chating to kick him out? What is the slogan in Jordan these days anyway? Is it?! Down! Down! With Saddat!
You know after seeing about of dozen of these dictators come down with pressure from their own people I have come to a conclusion that the more these guys wear fancy colorful uniforms (like in your blog's photo) and more medals and ghoppeh and ranks, the more dictator they are!
The fancier the uniform = the higher grade of dictatorship!
Everything is sacred
Jordan facing most serious & sustained challenge to King's rule
by Darius Kadivar on Fri Nov 04, 2011 09:35 AM PDTJordan and the Arab Spring (bbc)
King Abdullah tries to manage demands for change
For the first time in decades, youth, Islamist and leftist opposition protesters are challenging the monarchy's grip on power. Analysts are warning that although deference to the king persists, it may not last forever.