Report by: Dr. Hisham Bustani, Amman, Friday April 4, 2003
After the recent release of many activists the government has arrested in the past few weeks on the grounds of their positions in support of Iraq against the Imperialist US aggression, and against the presence of US military in Jordan, and/or their participation in popular activities against the US aggression on Iraq, Jordanian security agents have arrested Engineer Shadi Madanat, one of the most prominent activists in Kerak (a city south of the capital Amman), in front of his house. Security agents also searched his house and confiscated a personal computer.
Ms. Fadia Baqa`een, Shadi`s mother, has sent the following complaint to the Arab Organization for Human Rights in Jordan:
"This is to let you know that on Tuesday, April 1 2003, about 8:30 in the evening, my son Shadi Madanat was arrested in front of his home, and our house was searched according to a search warrant issued from the State Security Court Prosecutor, and they took with them the computer that belongs to the family, and we don`t know to where he was sent. He is absent until the day of this complaint and we don`t know where he is.
With Regards,
Fadia Salameh Biqa`een, April 3 2003"
It is believed that the manner in which Engineer Shadi Madanat was arrested, and not revealing his whereabouts, and the presence of a search warrant issued by the State Security Court Prosecutor, are all indicators of an intention to refer Shadi to the State Security Court, which is headed by a military judge, and has "final" decisions on misdemeanors (issues regarding freedom of _expression and assembly...etc).
The Jordanian Authorities, as it arrests Activists that are opposed to the US aggression on Iraq and who are opposed to any Jordanian participation in this aggression, puts itself in a basic contradiction with its declared position on this matter, and further increase its lack of credibility, and confirm the peoples` suspicions on a possible role the Authorities are undertaking in this aggression.
Let`s raise our voices and demand the RELEASE of Engineer Shadi Madanat and all political prisoners in Jordan.
Send letters to the addresses below demanding the following:
1- The unconditional release of Shadi Madanat and all political prisoners, and demanding freedom of _expression and assembly in Jordan.
2- The immediate STOP of harassing anti-normalization, anti-War, liberties and human rights activists.
3- The immediate stop of threats to civil society institutions, especially the Union of Professional Associations.
4- The immediate withdraw of ALL temporary laws issued in the absence of Parliament.
His Majesty King Abdallah bin Hussein
Office of H.M. the King
Royal Palace
Amman, Jordan
Fax: + 962 6 463 4755
or leave him a message at:
http://www.kingabdullah.jo/site_services/feed_back1.php
Chief of the Royal Court
PO Box 80
Amman, Jordan
Fax: + 962 6 463 1452
Ali Abu Al-Ragheb
Prime Minister
PO Box 80 352
Amman, Jordan
Fax: +962 6 4 642520
Kaftan Al-Majali
Minister of Interior
Fax: +962 6 464 0404
Faris Nabulsi
Minister of Justice
PO Box 6040
Amman, Jordan
Fax + 962 6 568 0238
Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Washington, D.C.
3504 International Drive, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Tel: (202) 966 2664
Fax: (202) 966 3110
Email: HKJEmbassyDC@aol.com
Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
London, United Kingdom
6 Upper Phillimore Gardens,
London, W8 7HB
Tel: 0207 937 3685
Fax: 0207 937 8795
Email: info@jiblondon.com (Jordan Information Service, London)
Jordan Representative to the United Nations
866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 552
New York, N.Y. 10017
Tel: (212) 752-0135, 0136
Fax: (212) 826-0830
Email: jordan@un.int
Jordanian General Intelligence Department
P.O.Box (1980) - Amman
Tel. 5865131
Email: gid@amra.nic.gov.jo
Web: http://www.gid.gov.jo/
Numbers of various Jordanian diplomatic missions around the world:
The Jordanian Embassy in Paris
00-331-463-702-06
The Jordanian Embassy in Roma
00-39-06-860-6122
The Jordanian Embassy in Madrid
003491-308-2536
The Jordanian Embassy in Bonn
00-49-228-353951
The Jordanian Embassy in Bern
00-41-31-382-2119
The Jordanian Embassy in Vienna
00- 43-1-405-1031
The Jordanian Diplomatic Mission in The Hague
00-317-0-354-1046