Jordan National Movement
Seeking Peaceful Coexistence, Freedom and Economic Prosperity for Jordanians and their Neighbors
10 Years of Injustice and Oppression: The Fairy Tale of King Abdullah II’s Absolute Dictatorship and Accession to the Undemocratic Throne
King Abdullah II (left) & with his Freind Odday Saddam Hussein (right)
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
King Abdullah II’s fixation on maintaining the absolute political monopoly of his family--the Hashemites--has left him standing on shaky ideological ground. He has refused to accept the constitutional monarchy and threatened those proactive leaders, such as Mr. Rheil Gharibeh, who have demanded this basic right, with prison sentence. Jordanians have questioned the ruling Hashemite family’s monopoly on political power and, by speaking out publicly, they have violated the rules of game in
Since King Abdullah II assumed his absolute monarchy on
The last ten years were filled with unpleasant events. Public freedom is restricted under laws passed by Parliament whose members were elected via vote-buying and unprecedented fraud. On a daily basis, many Jordanian civil rights leaders and reporters are being dragged to the security and intelligence authorities simply because they are mobilizing the public against absolute monarchy. They are protesting and writing hard-hitting stories about local developments that have enraged high government officials including members of the royal family. Advocates of a free press and freedom of expression charge that the arrest of political leaders, journalists and several other unknown reporters is part of growing regime efforts and concerted campaign to crack down on Jordanian publications. The press body firmly deems that what has happened is a massive conspiracy and despotic move by the regime. The regime has proscribed newspapers, bribed journalists via hush money and monthly stipends (exploiting their economic hardship), arrested and beaten up dozens of reporters, slapped draconian laws on the press that would definitely curb media freedoms. The king’s security forces routinely trail reporters. Many Jordanian journalists firmly believe that their phones are tapped and mobility is monitored, and therefore fear to spread the word to the outside world.
During the last 10 years of oppression, Jordanians have been queasy, and for good reasons.
Contrary to the harsh sentences given to political opponents of the Hashemite Royal Family, there is a policy of not investigating or prosecuting actual corrupt actions of individuals and corporations, particularly those associated with the Royal Family. Nancy Bakir, Minister of Public Sector Reform, stated on
Jordanians must demand major amendments in the constitution such as reducing the authority of King Abdullah II and ask that his role be relegated to that of a titular leader henceforth. The king must listen and act swiftly before it is too late. We must start working toward a “True Housecleaning Strategy” which will permanently restore and refurbish the economic and political landscapes in our homeland. This long-term restructuring strategy will make
Open Letter to U.S. President Barack Obama
February 25, 2009
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Obama:
In light of the imminent visit of King Abdullah II to the United States, we are writing you this letter concerning the current political, social and economic developments and landscapes in Jordan. Please do not allow King Abdullah II to deceive or sidetrack you! The King says one thing in the presence of foreign leaders, dignitaries and world press and media, but acts very differently back home. For instance, the King is using international forums and other international gatherings for merely public image and propaganda to show his western audience and his foreign interlocutors that he is a real democrat believing in democracy and human rights. Truly, he is a young yet growing thuggish dictator in the heart of the Middle East.
New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) has recently issued several stern, comprehensive, and accurate reports regarding the most recent human rights abuses in Jordan, conducted directly by King Abdullah II’s regime and his cruel and Gestapo-like intelligence apparatus. This report reinforces other reports issued by Amnesty International in the United Kingdom. The Jordan National Movement published these pictures and brief comments showing human rights abuses committed against journalists, political and opposition figures, and ordinary citizens in Jordan. Freedom House in Washington, DC, issued this 2008 report re: the status of political rights and civil liberties in Jordan. This regime in Amman has failed to adhere to international treaties including international human rights conventions and accords. In addition, since coming to power in 1999, King Abdullah II has failed to deliver on initial pledges to promote democracy and the rule of law.
His rule has become increasingly authoritarian and no serious political opposition is permitted to form. His government and the intelligence community manipulate the judiciary, and no independent judges are allowed to operate. According to a report submitted by Mohammad Samed Al-Raqad, the former President of the Judicial Council (recently terminated by the King), to King Abdullah II, on Sunday, May 13, 2007, “the judicial system lacks administrative and financial independence.” The separation of the executive, legislative and judicial powers in Jordan does not exist. These branches are intertwined and subject to direct and constant interference by the King, security and intelligence apparatus, secret police and influential members of the royal family and fat cats in the business community.
On Sunday, August 19, 2007, King Abdullah II issued this order: “We, Abdullah II Ben Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, in pursuance of Paragraph 1 of Article 34 of the Constitution, order that elections of the House of deputies be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the law.” In other words, the King decided to dissolve Parliament. This statement represents one dimension of the absolute monarchy in Jordan. King Abdullah II decides everything and anything: At his own pleasure, he appoints and sacks Members of Parliament, Prime Ministers, Senators, Ambassadors, Supreme Court Judges, and high-ranking officials, intelligence and military commanders, and runs Parliament and Municipality elections that are tribal and full of fraud. Similar to previous national elections, future Parliament and Municipality elections will be held based on the one-person, one-vote system, a tribal and ethnic-based voting system aims to customize and recruit unprofessional and pro absolute monarchy legislators whose main concerns lie with personal interests, bribery and favoritism. This impartial and fake system has been widely criticized on the national and international stages. Further, on January 25, 2009, former Prime Minister Ahmed Obeidat stated, “How can we respect and trust the current Members of Parliament who say publically that they have won their seats via vote-buying?”
As far as the media is concerned, the regime in Jordan displays essential features of an authoritarian media system. All broadcast media is controlled and manipulated by the appointed government and royal court circles. Strict control over Jordan Radio and Television is exercised through the General Intelligence Department (GID), which also oversees print media, and can act against any perceived dissension: incarceration, employment termination, and newspaper closure or suspension. Attorney Saleh Al-Armouti, President of the Jordan Bar Association, and Attorney Hatim Al-Ghoeiri, former judge at King Abdullah II’s Military Court, stated on December 20, 2008 that “more than 100 cases per year of Italit Alisan (lashing at the King) are filed by the military prosecutors.”
On Monday, November 10, 2008, King Abdullah II, the ultimate decision maker in the country, told chief editors of Jordanian daily newspaper at a meeting held in the Bab Al Urdun Palace, “in Jordan there will be no detention of any journalist for carrying out their duty.” This is hypocritical and misleading statement aimed to misinform and mislead worldwide human rights and press organizations as well as the international community. On January 22, 2009, Ahamd Al-Tamimi, a journalist in the Al-Ghaad daily newspaper was abducted by three security officers in Irbid, north of Jordan, and beaten up severely…these security agents told Mr. Al-Tamimi that the did this because of his daily reporting and writings in this newspaper. On January 9, 2009, Al-Darak Forces, established recently by King Abdullah II, who has put its operation orders in the hands of the corrupt Minister of Interior (recently terminated), Eid Al-Fayez, cracked its whip and baton on the head, face, and body of Yasser Abu Hlalah, a daily columnist at Al-Ghad daily newspaper and Chief of Al-Jazeera TV Satellite Station in Amman, during a demonstration held in Amman against the Israeli invasion of Gaza. Hlalah was rushed to the hospital and went under urgent surgery to stitch several cuts in his head and face. Members of this TV station also sustained injuries and several cuts on their bodies. On December 23, 2008, King Abdullah II’s GID detained two journalists, Ahmed Al-Tayeb and Ziad Al-Tahrawi, from Al-Baida newspaper, for reporting on mismanagement and corruption at King Hussein’s Medical City. In March 2007, King Abdullah II ratified the Press and Publications law that abolishes imprisonment for journalists; however, he refused to amend the Penal Code which gives carte blanche to the unelected government (appointed by the King), Military Court and GID to jail and imprison journalists and human rights activists.
The national and international status of Jordan’s economy, public health and labor rights are sliding backward. Jordan is ranked 53rd on the Transparency International’s 2007 Corruption Perception Index. Dr. Rood Rihani, a Medical Specialist in Pediatrics, stated on February 17, 2008 that children cancers make up 10 percent of all cancerous cases in the Kingdom. According to Dr. Rihani, “300 Jordanian children are diagnosed with cancer every year.” The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) current reports on Jordan’s economy stated that the increase in foreign debt in Jordan exceeded 4 percent of its GDP. Recently, the World Bank ranked Jordan 104th as a safe and quality investment environment in the world. The exponential rise in national and foreign debts is staggering. The total debt currently stands at $11.2 billion. From December 2007 to May 2008 alone, the national debt increased by $1.8 billion. On July 30, 2008, Dr. Fahad Al-Fanek, the general manager of and a columnist for the state-run Jordanian daily Al-Rai, wrote “the inflation rate is much more than the 8-9 percent range suggested by the Minster of Finance and the IMF’s experts…this poses a serious threat to the economic and social stability of the country.” On August 31, 2008, Member of Parliament Nariman Al-Roosan asked the government to investigate a serious corruption and human rights case, published by the US-based Chicago Tribune newspaper, accusing Jordanian businessmen and high-ranking officials, including relatives of Bassem Awadallah, the former Chief of the Hashemite Royal Court, of human trafficking. Further, drug use and trafficking is rising exponentially during King Abdullah II’s rule: Jordan’s Anti-Drugs Department recently reported that the number of drugs/substances abused cases, such as the use of cocaine, hashish, marijuana, heroin, and opium, approximately quadrupled: from 2585 (between 1990-1997) to 9564 (1998-2005).
The security apparatus’ dirty hands and spies are everywhere, conducting despicable business on behalf and under the directions and watchful eyes of King Abdullah II and members of the royal family. Like the King, the security commanders, including the Chief of the GID, are above the law, and they have absolute authority to detain any person regardless of any legal requirements and ramifications, select and endorse ministers, senators, members of parliament and high rank King officials; interfere in municipal and parliament elections and passport renewals; conduct and practice wide-range favoritism, and terrorize public employees. For instance, on December 9, 2008, Aamer Ahmed died at Wadi Al-Seer District’s Police Station due to a severe beating by unidentified police officers. Similar to several other cases of police brutality, this case has never been investigated nor prosecuted in the court of law. On February 1, 2009, Attorney Abdul Karim Al-Shridah, Chairman of Prisons and Jails Committee at the Arab Human Rights Organization in Amman, stated (after recent visit to Al-Jwaidah prison), that “several prisoners, specifically Firas Said Al-Rifair, Muath Brizat, and Samer Abu Arab, told him that they have been subjected to severe physical beatings (including sodomy) and torture by security officers and prison guards…these prisoners showed me the marks of this systematic physical abuse…these are absolutely inhuman practices…”
It was absolutely shameful and ludicrous to hear Queen Rania, the wife of King Abdullah, stating on Thursday, September 21, 2006, during a conference organized by Clinton Global Initiative in New York City, that the “only way to create a stable and secure world is to address global injustices, specifically in the Arab world,” while she and her husband, King Abdullah, and members of the royal family are standing in the way by not allowing the Jordanian people to elect a representative government! Queen Rania has been playing significant overt and covert political roles in the daily functions of the unelected government. She is appointing ministers and high-level officials, interfering, dictating and steering the executive branch of the state. Queen Rania is assuming this unconstitutional role despite opposition from the great majority of Jordanians. She is responsible for promoting corruption and nepotism in the appointed government and royal court. While Jordanians live an impoverished life, Queen Rania spends a huge portion of the country’s resources on private jets, new palaces, lavish parties, royal receptions and her very expensive fashions. Jordanians live under a cruel dictatorial regime that refuses dialogue with the opposition (a “my way or the highway” kind of mentality), imposes its will on the people, uses fear and intimidation by throwing dissidents in jail, changes governments as it pleases, and resorts to bribes to enlist supporters and appoint them in key governmental and royal court positions. On January 31, 2008, the Honorable Toujan Al-Faisal made it very clear that King Abdullah II was behind the government’s decision to ban her from running for previous Parliament elections. To prevent and convince the Honorable Al-Faisal not to run for these elections, King Abdullah II offered her three new Mercedes cars, one for her and the other two for her two daughters, a luxury single family home in a posh area in Western Amman, and a blank check for unlimited cash money. The offer was delivered by Saad Kheir, former Director of the corrupt General Intelligence Department (GID). Also, the Honorable Toujan Al-Faisal, former MP, stated that a member of the royal family informed her that King Abdullah II ordered his security apparatus to prevent her from running. The King said, “do whatever it takes…do not underestimate her this time…” On Tuesday, October 9, 2007, the thuggish and bloody dictator King Abdullah II sentenced the scholar and former MP Dr. Al-Abbadi to 2 years in prison for speaking up against corruption and human rights abuses in Jordan.
Queen Rania is also upstaging her husband in foreign affairs. On December 31, 2008, Queen Rania told Al-Jazeera TV Station, “the Arab diplomatic wheel has not been working for many decades…We, the Arabs, have failed to convey our voice to the world’s decision makers [re: the Arab-Israeli conflict], despite the justice and legitimacy of the Palestinian cause….” Many domestic, regional and foreign observers in foreign affairs laughed at these naive comments that prove the queen’s utter lack of understanding of the basic principles of foreign and international affairs. Jordan is now without even a Crown Prince. Queen Rania, a Jordanian of Palestinian origin, has pressured her husband King Abdullah II to terminate Prince Hamza on November 28, 2004, son of Queen Noor (the American-Jordanian wife of the late King Hussein), to pave the way for her son (Prince Hussein), to take over as heir to the throne as soon as he becomes 18 years old, a foolish step that will raise eyes brows in Israel and amongst Eastern Jordanians.
As taxpayers, Jordanians are misinformed and blocked from accessing critical information related to the state budget, monetary policies of lenders from foreign countries, and even basic information, such as the annual income of members of the royal family. No one in Jordan, including members of Parliament, knows about or is even allowed to discuss the budget of the royal court. Since he assumed power in 1999, the king increased the size of the royal court staff from 300 to 3000 employees. The aim for this increase is to have two governments: One for public services and the second to make strategic decisions without even consulting with Parliament, a clear violation of the current constitution. King Abdullah II lacks command of the Arabic language; he speaks Arabic with a heavy accent and has never spoken at or attended an Arabic press conference or delivered a lengthy speech in Arabic. In public meetings, King Abdullah II asks the appointed Prime Minister, to answer questions on his behalf, due to his poor Arabic speaking skills. In addition, the King and members of the royal family spend most of their time traveling abroad spending millions of dollars without documenting their expenses or making them public. They do not pay taxes, and their annual and sources of income are unknown to the public or appointed government.
JNM stands firm to defend the rights of the people of Jordan to effect change and make genuine and speedy constitutional changes. On January 19, 2009, the Chairman of the National Initiative for Reforms, Rhail Gharibah, announced that “more than 100 national figures are now together to establish a wide national front to change the current absolute monarchy to constitutional system via peaceful and democratic means…” King Abdullah II himself declared on March 15, 2005, in an interview with Peter Jennings of ABC news that he would embrace and support such a system. Since this famous interview, the King has been dragging his feet to implement long-awaited reforms. His excuse is that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict must be resolved first! Why Israel, which is very similar to Jordan in terms of geo-political and demographic dimensions, is a full-fledged democratic state?
As far as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is concerned, we firmly believe that the solution of this conflict is either establishing an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza or annexing the Palestinian territories to Jordan and Egypt respectively. If the latter solution is determined by the United States and the International community, then a genuine democracy must be established in the new state “the United Republic.” Simply put, the successful Iraqi model of democracy or the unity of Northern Yemen and Southern Yemen can be applied to this new Republic: A presidential council, headed by Eastern Jordanian, and comprised of members who represent the large Palestinian community (majority) and other minorities. The elected Prime Minister is of Palestinian origin, and the Speaker of Parliament and President of the Senate are Eastern Jordanian and Jordanian of Palestinian descent respectively.
The royal family in Jordan must understand that we will not relinquish our total commitment to these essential reforms. JNM will seek every single diplomatic avenue and peaceful means to inform the international community of the current and future exacerbating circumstances in our homeland, Jordan. As stated by Professor Marc Lynch in an article, written by Simon Tisdall on Tuesday, November 29, 2005, in the UK-based Guardian Newspaper, “After six years in power, King Abdullah had little to show for his frequent speeches about reform. His tenure had been characterized by a steady decline in freedoms.” Today, these reforms are absolutely nonexistent. According to a scientific survey conducted by the University of Jordan’s Centre for Strategic Studies (CSS) and published on December 27, 2008, “Approximately 80 per cent of respondents expressed fear of criticizing the government in public, up from 78 per cent last year.” JNM will work consistently and wholeheartedly to reverse the regime’s absolute military-style of governance.
To avoid generating new evil terrorists and suppressed people, spread peace, economic prosperity and lasting tranquility in Jordan and the Middle East region at large, we urge your administration to work hand in hand with Jordanian opposition leaders, leaders of civil society, and the Jordanian National Movement to carry out this long-awaited change swiftly, peacefully and democratically!
Cc:
U.S. Vice President (via Chief of Staff)
French President, French Embassy, Amman, Jordan
British Prime Minister, Embassy of Britain, Amman, Jordan
Japanese Prime Minister, Embassy of Japan, Amman, Jordan
Russian President, Embassy of Russia, Amman, Jordan
Chinese President, Embassy of China, Amman, Jordan
Prime Minister of Canada, Canadian Embassy, Amman, Jordan
George Mitchelll, President Obama’s Special Envoy to the Middle East
Human Rights Watch, New York, U.S.A.
Human Rights First, Washington, D.C.
Amnesty International, United Kingdom
Freedom House, Washington, D.C.
U.S. Dept. of State, Jordan Desk
U.S. Congress
European Union
United Nations
The International Federation of Journalists, Brussels, Belgium
European Federation of Journalists, Brussels, Belgium
Committee To Protect Journalists, New York
The U.S. Press, the International Press, and the Arab & Arab-American Press
The Jordanian Regime Hypocrisy and Vulnerability: Mr. Rheil Gharibeh, the Jordanian Regime's Latest Victim of Character Assassination
March 14, 2009
By Dr. Awen R. Al-Meshagbah, Boston,
Massachusetts
The present decision-making structure in Jordan remains an authoritarian institution at best, allowing little or no room for serious and genuine consultation with the Jordanian public. To make matters worse, effective parliamentarian oversight is almost non-existent, except for a small group of obedient royal advisors who are entirely dependent on the regime for their political and financial survival. These advisors have no independent power base and no role that permits them to regularly have access to autonomous information on domestic and foreign affairs.
Thus, when any Jordanian public figure shows any sign of independence and courage to engage international organizations in dialogues on Jordan’s current state of affairs, the regime becomes apprehensive and displays gratuitous viciousness in attacking that person. Dr. Abbadi’s case has been a clear manifestation of this behavior.
Since he came to power, King Abdullah has, perhaps unsurprisingly, exhibited a case of split personality in dealing with domestic and international audiences. On the one hand, the King would like to present himself as a moderate Arab statesman who strives to modernize his country by establishing strong ties with the open and secular western democracies, especially the United States. However, when dealing with the Jordanian public and its national representatives, he acts in an entirely different manner.
I am using this introduction to shed light on the recent campaign by the Jordanian regime and its apologists to carry out a mean-spirited and well orchestrated character assassination against a member of the Jordanian “loyal” opposition.
Mr. Rheil Gharibeh (the Chairman of the National Initiative for Reforms and a member of the Jordan’s Islamic Action Front), was recently invited by a U.S. think tank in Washington, DC to participate in a non-government-sponsored discussion regarding the role of moderate Islamic movements in advancing democratic practices in the Arab and Muslim world. Evidently, that was a non-crossable line in the sand to the patricians living in Al-Hum’mer. The attitude was: “How dare a Jordanian citizen engage in open dialogue with a foreign entity without the government’s consent or prior approval?”
In response to this “provocation”, the regime in Amman has unleashed its paid journalists and self-proclaimed supporters to attack this well-respected Jordanian figure. Why? For daring to participate in this public gathering to discuss his party’s perspective on many issues facing the Middle East in general and Jordan in particular. The regime’s mouthpiece machine and its propagandists such as Saleh Al-Ghalab, Aymen Al-Majali, Maher Abu Teer and many other paid supporters took the lead in articulating the regime’s malicious and undeserved assault on Mr. Gharibeh.
According to official transcripts of the meeting, Mr. Gharibeh rightfully advocated the need for a genuine political reform in Jordan by calling for the establishment of a national government in his country that is based on a constitutional monarchy whose core value is respect for human rights and genuine political participation by all members of Jordanian society. Going further, he discussed his movement’s reservations regarding the current elections and party regulation laws in Jordan. Furthermore, he called on the government to be more forthcoming in allowing political parties to represent their platforms to the public, without official censorship. He also criticized the West, especially the United States for not encouraging genuine democratic reforms in the region. This freedom of “responsible” speech is supposedly an “inherent basic right” granted to all Jordanian citizens. As a free citizen of Jordan, Mr. Gharibeh is also entitled to attend any public event that he and his political colleagues deem instructive and relevant to them.
The invited guest was engaging, well-informed and more importantly judicious in his views. Mr. Gharibeh never attacked the “institution of the monarchy” but merely criticized the regime’s political practices, which he correctly described as non-democratic.
In addition, as an example, he spoke warmly of the historical experience of Turkey’s Islamic movement in leading the country’s political and economic reforms. Mr. Gharibeh’s perspective reflected on the Islamic political movement in his country, which, according to him, is operating within the legal and constitutional framework of its society and has used only peaceful and democratic means to educate, energize and prepare its people for more active participation in the country’s economic and political affairs.
As an outside observer – but also a native son of Jordan - who cares deeply about the country and its future, I am once again disturbed to see the regime in Amman exhibits such hypocrisy and lack of confidence in dealing with its opponents.
I am not a champion of Mr. Gharibeh’s political platform, but I am absolutely supportive of his right to speak, his right to meet and his right to engage in conversation with whomever he wishes. This is not a subversive or treasonable activity. In my opinion, Mr. Gharibeh’s words and actions in Washington are an unexceptional ritual that the regime’s supporters and allies routinely engage in.
As a matter of fact, Washington, DC, Boston and other American cities are a popular destination for many Jordanian officials in the country’s private and public sectors; they travel to the United States in the hope of engaging their American interlocutors in discussions on the core values of western democracies and how other countries can benefit from the American experience in building and nurturing democratic institutions.
Needless to say, such events are mostly funded by government and non-government organizations in the United States. Some of those Jordanian officials would have never been able to participate in these educational and political events were it not for the good will of the American people. So, for the Jordanian regime to feel betrayed and offended by Mr. Gharibeh’s actions is hypocritical and childish, to say the least.
The U.S. Government, through its Agency for International Development (U.S.AID) has allocated millions of U.S. dollars to support Jordan’s civil society and projects promoting the rule of law. So, if these propagandists really believe that Mr. Gharibeh’s participation in such a public gathering would give the United States the pretext to intervene in Jordan, then, may God help Jordan and its people?
I feel obliged to remind the regime in Amman that lecturing Jordanians about the value of public responsibility and loyalty to their country is irrelevant when the entire regime’s political and economic survivability hinges on the good will of the United States and its taxpayers. People such as Mr. Gharibeh have the same inherent rights as the regime’s supporters when it comes to engaging international public opinion regarding the need for peaceful democratic change in their society.
Unfortunately, Jordan has and will continue to reap the fruits of years of ad-hoc arbitrary policies, political and economic structural weaknesses, the lack of a strategic national vision, and more importantly the total absence of institutionalized decision-making processes which are now, alas, subject to the idiosyncrasies of the monarchy and its security services.
In my opinion, it is highly unlikely that the regime in Jordan would ever be able to face up to present and future challenges confronting Jordan without giving its people the freedom to engage in genuine political participation. Hence, it is essential for the king and his cronies to acknowledge and allow all democratically-inclined Jordanian citizens, irrespective of their political views, to take an active and genuine role in running their country’s affairs. This is the only way that will provide stability for the country to develop and enhance its political and economic infrastructure and hence provide a peaceful, prosperous life for all its citizens.
Going back to Mr. Gharibeh’s “controversial” statement, aside from some corrupt politicians and their beneficiaries, the majority of Jordan’s citizens – the young, urban cosmopolitan men and women, well-educated and have access to international news through the internet and other media outlets – would likely welcome a constitutional monarchy as is the case in Spain, Norway, the Netherlands, and other Western democracies. With a guarantee of free and responsible speech, we would find louder voices calling for this form of government in their country. Unfortunately, this is not happening now in Jordan because people know that they are not free to express their views without retribution.
A statement attributed to Francois Marie Arouet, Voltaire, the great 18th Century French philosopher of the Enlightenment, exclaimed: “I may
disagree with what you say, but I will defend - to the death – your right to say it.” The meaning behind this simple sentence has become a cornerstone of Western democratic tradition, and, in my opinion, they are words whose spirit a truly democratic Jordanian society should live by.