Where's That Judicial Reform?

I wanna scream bloody murder at this point.

"A 19-year-old man walked free from the Criminal Court on Wednesday after receiving a six-month prison term for murdering his sister and her alleged Syrian lover in Azraq last year.

The defendant was released as he had already served over six months while on trial.

The court declared A. F., a shepherd, guilty of shooting to death his 23-year-old sister and the 17-year-old Syrian after spotting them walking together in the early hours of March 8, 2008.

The same court acquitted the defendant's two cousins, aged 31 and 33, of complicity
in murder charges for lack of evidence."

[Source]

Ma 3aleina. We've seen a lot more shocking crimes than this. Plus the details or the motives are pretty much irrelevant during the actual trial. "Ah, you murdered your sister, you say? To reclaim your honor? No problem! Acquitted!"

But you see this is what's making me fly over the cookoo's nest here:

The court decided to amend the premeditated murder charges to a misdemeanour as stipulated in Article 98 of the Penal Code, because the defendant "committed his crime in a moment of rage".

Constitutionally, the fit of fury crap piece of law should only be used in cases which are NOT PREMEDITATED. Hear that? Not freaking meditated, as in not previously planned, as in saw something, happened to have a weapon at hand then INSTANTLY committed a murder.

But from yesterday's Alghad story:

وأوضح ان المتهم الأول اتصل بأبناء عمومته المتهمين الثاني والثالث وأخبرهما بالأمر، حيث اتفقوا على أخذ أسلحة نارية والبحث عن المغدورين وقتلهما فور العثورعليهما.

وتابع القرار أن المتهمين خرجوا بواسطة سيارة "بكب" يعود للمتهم الثاني وبعد البحث عثروا على المغدور داخل محمية الشومري، حيث قاموا بوضعه في صندوق الـ"بكب" وأجبروه على دلالتهم على مكان المغدورة، وعندما وصلوا اليها أشهروا جميعاً أسلحة نارية غير مرخصة وبدأوا بإطلاق النار على المغدورين الى أن أردوهما قتيلين.

The suspect called his two cousins, and they agreed to take firearms, look for the two victims and kill them when they find them.

The three defendants took a pickup truck and found the victim in Al-Shomari Reserve, put him in the trunk and forced him to disclose the female victim's location. When they found her, they drew their unlicensed guns and shot them dead.

[Source]

This is not premeditated?

THIS IS YOUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM? These are the people entrusted to ensure JUSTICE? Is this JUSTICE?

I swear I am pretty close to committing a crime "in a fit of fury" over this.

Where's your judicial reform, Jordan...?

Mother of Six Gives Birth to Octuplets

Octuplets as in 8 children. No seriously, what the hell is wrong with people?

" The mother of a woman in California who gave birth on Monday to octuplets said her daughter already has six children at home and was undergoing fertility treatment.

The Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday that Angela Suleman said her daughter had the embryos implanted last year, resulting in the eight births.

Suleman said she was concerned about her daughter's homecoming because her husband, a contract worker, is due to return to Iraq. "

[Source]

So you have six kids, your husband is getting deployed to another country and you implant yourselves with multiple embryos? Yes, I realise I'm being judgemental here but this is insane!

Honor Crimes in 2009: Two & Counting

“ Zarqa criminal prosecutor has referred a 17-year-old youth, who confessed to murdering his younger sister over the weekend, to a juvenile court for further questioning.

The suspect, confessed to stamping on his 13-year-old sibling’s head several times with his boots, then stabbing her 30 times at their family home on January 21, to defend his family’s honour, a senior official source said.

The suspect then headed to the nearest police station and handed officers on duty a dagger which he claimed he “used to stab and kill his sister”, according to the source.

In his initial testimony, the suspect told investigators that he killed his sister after learning from his friends that a man gave her a piece of paper with his phone number written on it.

“The victim informed her mother about the paper and when the suspect came home he grabbed a knife and stabbed his sister, who denied any wrongdoing,” the source said.

The victim was rushed to hospital with multiple stab wounds to her chest, stomach, liver and back, but she was declared dead on arrival, according to the official source.

A postmortem conducted by government pathologists indicated that the victim was not sexually active. ”

What's going to happen to the brother? Well since he is a juvenile, he'll spend some time in some juvenile correctional centre at best then leave with a clear criminal record.


Meanwhile,

“ Criminal Prosecutor has charged a 73-year-old man with the manslaughter of his younger divorced sister in the second reported so-called honour crime since the beginning of the year.

The 19-year-old victim received three bullets to her head and chest.

The suspect claimed that he killed his sister due to “accusations by her ex-husband that she had a bad reputation and because she went missing from her home on several occasions”.

He told investigators that he shot his sister after seeing her attempting to leave the house without his knowledge, and also claimed that he had carried a gun for the past 30 years.

“These are all claims by the suspect, but we have expanded our investigations and are currently questioning the victim’s family members,” the official source said.

A senior judicial source confirmed to The Jordan Times on Saturday that 18 people were killed in so-called honour crimes last year in the Kingdom. ”

[Source]

The same disgustingly violent, ridiculous rituals of these crimes happening over and over again and nobody is doing a single thing about it. It's like honor crimes have become integrated into the country's traditions and customs.

And nobody is doing a damn thing about it.

And I don't understand how are we to change any stereotypes about us when murderers of innocent women are being set free.

It's sickening.

How You Can Still Help Gaza

Reposted from the Black Iris.

A lot of people have been wondering how they can still help do something on-the-ground in Jordan when it comes to the situation in Gaza.

Here’s three things you can do:

First: 7iber needs volunteers who are willing to help sort and package goods just like last time, at the Aramex warehouse.

Second: 7iber is raising funds for urgent medical equipment. We’ve got 15,000JDs worth of equipment so far, but we’d like to have a significant leap in the number this week so we can send it as soon as humanly possible.

Third: Spread the word! Blog it! Repost it! Facebook it! Email it! SMS it!

For all the details JUST CLICK HERE

Something's Going Down Today

Riot police are lining up all the way from the protest tents in Rabieh up to the hill leading to the embassy. They're all holding batons and shields, and carrying in small boxes what I suspect to be teargas. There's a tank at every exit and some roads leading up to the embassy are closed.

This is probably why.

Allah yostor.

UPDATE: After two hours of being allowed to protest, clashes between the protesters and the police started taking place. The protesters threw rocks at the police and tried to advance toward the embassy, so the police dispersed the crowds with teargas and water cannons. For updated info check 7iber's watwet channel.

Why I'm Against Annuling the Treaty

Disclaimer: Before you go on to make a comment, bear in mind that I am an avid supporter of the Palestinian cause. I have not been "washed away" by Israeli propaganda nor can I begin to explain my fury and frustration at what is going on in Gaza right now.

I was reluctant to speak about this at first, because of all the vicious fights that I've observed around the blogosphere whenever this subject is discussed. But I'm putting my opinion out there so people can see the other side of the equation. The other opinion, that everybody I've met seems to be terrified to disclose.

I am very much against the annulment of the Jordanian-Israeli peace treaty, the closure of the Israeli embassy or the expulsion of the ambassador, and I cannot see what good it could possibly achieve or contribute in ending the massacre the Palestinians are currently facing.

Here's the thing. I understand the feelings of frustration and anger, I really do. I understand the feeling of helplessness that takes over you as you see the lives of over 400 people, 400 human beings just like you and me being taken away in a place not so far from what we call home. I understand how the Arab nation feels like something has to be done, something needs to be done, so that we stop feeling so inferior to the rest of the world, to do something after being persecuted for so many years. I understand that it was OUR land to begin with, and that the Israelis were the ones who came here and unrightfully took over what's not theirs. I understand all of that.

But here's what I also understand. This dreaded treaty between us and the Israelis, the treaty that protests have been calling to annul for at least 3 times (that I can remember) , is what's preventing Israelis from starting a war with us. It's also what's enabling us to send in the donations to help those in the battle-zone. I honestly don't understand those who want to go into "war" and start a "jihad" against the Israelis. We are a country of 5 million, we have very few resources, and to put it simply and clearly, there's no way in hell we can win a war against Israel. The reason Jordan has remained quite a safe country (considering the fact that we live in a war zone), is not exactly a miracle. It's because we've accepted the presence of the Jewish nation as a fact and let's face it, it's not going to go away anytime soon, and if you think otherwise, you are either affected by your emotions, or grossly overestimate the abilities of the very country you're criticizing.

And this is why I can't support the riots that have been breaking out all over the place. i couldn't be more angry about what's happening, but I frankly think you're a hypocrite if you tell me you're willing to sacrifice your freedom and safety to go into a battle, to go into a war, that you KNOW there's no way you can win. I like the fact that I live in a safe, secure country, where I can go about my daily life without fear of having my house brought down over my head. This doesn't mean we've given up. I'm not giving up. I make my voice heard to let the people around the world, who aren't being told the whole story, know that a massacre is taking place. There are other ways we can fight this war, and sacrificing this country is not one of them. We've done that once before and lost. We'd just be hitting the self-destruct button.

Also posted on 7iber.

Deja Vu

"Scores of riot police blocking roads to the embassy complex fired teargas at around 1,500 demonstrators, forcing them to retreat.

Worshippers chanting: "No Jewish embassy on Arab land" left the Kaloti mosque in the Rabia district of the Jordanian capital after noon prayers and headed to the nearby Israeli embassy. "

For more links.