Local

AMMAN — A 25-year-old man on Wednesday died in a two-vehicle collision near the Zarqa Private University, the Civil Defence Department (CDD) said. Another two-vehicle collision on Wednesday in Zarqa caused the injury of 13 people, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Zarqa CDD cadres administered first aid to the injured, all of whom were listed in fair condition except for one in critical condition. Also on Wednesday, a road accident in Ajloun resulted in the injury of six people, who were taken to hospital and listed in fair condition.

AMMAN — Inspectors from the Public Sector Development Ministry recently made unannounced visits to three branches affiliated with the Income and Sales Tax Department (ISTD) in Amman to check on the quality of services offered to the public. 

During a visit to the ISTD branch for western Amman, which is in Sweifieh, inspectors observed that seven employees out of 12 were available in offices to serve the public, adding that they were answering their queries in a proper manner. 

The inspectors’ report, made available to The Jordan Times on Tuesday, praised the quality of services at the government agency, mentioning that management was following up with clients to ensure they were being served adequately. 

In a visit to the ISTD branch in southern Amman, in Muqabalein, the ministry’s report indicated that an employee in charge of data entry for transactions was transferred to another branch without being replaced, which caused delay in services. 

Other observations by the inspection team were positive, saying services were offered properly and the building was friendly to people with disabilities and had a special box for receiving complaints and suggestions. 

At the ISTD branch in Jabal Hussein for central and eastern Amman, the inspectors said clients had to wait a long time to be served as four employees out of six were absent. 

The department also did not offer the public information on requirements to receive services, such as documents needed, fees and places to apply at. 

A box for complaints was available but there were no forms, said the report. 

The Public Sector Development Ministry has been carrying out unannounced visits to various government agencies for over three years to monitor performance and submit reports to the prime minister and other concerned ministers.

AMMAN — The Public Security Department’s (PSD) Rangers, in cooperation with the Agriculture Ministry’s Forestry Department, announced on Tuesday that they would increase patrols to curb violations on forests, especially with the onset of winter.

In a statement sent to The Jordan Times, the PSD noted that administrative and legal procedures would be taken against violators and that the department would enhance surveillance and prosecution against random logging, adding that the decision aims to preserve the Kingdom’s forests.

The PSD said that according to the law, logging of perennial trees can only occur after receiving special permits issued by the Agriculture Ministry. This guarantees that no damage comes to the Kingdom’s environment or forests.

Rangers will also monitor olive presses and tankers to ensure their owners’ commitment to health and public safety standards while minimising olive presses waste and ensuring waste disposal in allocated areas to preserve soil fertility and the purity of surface and ground water, the PSD added.

The Agriculture Ministry recently announced a new policy to address violations on bare forest land.

Under the new policy, the agriculture and interior ministries will enhance the monitoring and handling of violations on uncultivated forest land, with the former drafting new regulations that ban issuing commuted sentences to those who commit such infringements, Agriculture Minister Akef Zu’bi said at a recent press conference.

A total of 12,000 violations have been recorded on bare forestry lands, the minister said, highlighting that 7,000-8,000 of those breaches occurred in the last 25 years.

Forestry lands amount to 1.5 million dunums, of which 250,000 dunums are bare, 400,000 dunums are natural forests, 500,000 dunums are planted forests and 350,000 are nature reserves, Forestry Department Director Eid Zu’bi said in previous remarks to The Jordan Times.

AMMAN — An Israeli military court on Tuesday adjourned the issuance of a verdict in the trial of Jordanian prisoner Mohammad Suleiman to October 27, according to a family member.

“The verdict was adjourned for the court to continue preparations for the trial procedures,” Mahdi, Mohammad’s father, told The Jordan Times.

Mohammad, the youngest Jordanian prisoner in Israel, may be sentenced to 15 years in prison in addition to a fine of 40,000 Israeli shekels (some JD7,350), his 58-year-old father said recently.

The teenager was 16 years old when he was arrested in March 2013 while visiting his relatives in the West Bank, and has attended around 60 hearings so far. 

He faces 27 charges, including attempted murder and injuring 18 Israeli soldiers.

Mahdi also noted that his son undergoes “severe forms of punishment” at Israeli prisons, including being put in solitary confinement for long times without clear reasons.

“A human rights office in Lebanon filed a lawsuit some two months ago in the UN against Israel for its inhumane practices against Mohammad,” the father said, noting that such efforts should be exerted by local institutions.

AMMAN — Twenty-one students from Karak’s Mutah University were injured in a traffic accident on Tuesday, three critically, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The accident occurred when a bus carrying the students collided with another bus on the desert highway near Qatraneh, according to Karak Civil Defence Department (CDD) director Col. Abdul Hadi Sarayreh.  

Health Minister Ali Hiasat checked on the conditions of the injured who were taken to Karak Public Hospital for treatment. 

The minister said the three critical cases were transferred to King Hussein Medical City in Amman as their cases required advanced surgical intervention. 

Karak Hospital Director Ali Hamaideh confirmed that that the condition of the remaining students was stable, noting that some of them were discharged while others are still being closely monitored.  

Hiasat commended the efforts of the Karak hospital and the CDD, stressing that all major specialisations are available at all hospitals across the Kingdom but there is a shortage in rare specialisations.

Also on Tuesday, five people sustained various injuries in a two-vehicle collision on Wahdneh road in Ajloun.

Ajloun CDD Director Col. Hani Smadi said CDD personnel administered first aid to the injured and transferred them to Al Eman Public Hospital. 

According to Ahmad Zghoul, Al Eman hospital director, the injured suffered various wounds and bruises but remained in good condition.   

AMMAN — More than 700 local, regional and international experts and stakeholders in the digital gaming industry are scheduled to convene in Jordan on Saturday at the Jordan Gaming Summit 2015  to discuss the latest trends and developments in the industry.

Developers, programmers, designers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and local and regional companies, as well as school and university students will participate in the event, which will be held on October 17 at the King Hussein Business Park in Amman and in Aqaba on October 18, according to the organisers. 

Saeb Al Hassan, director of King Abdullah II Fund for Development (KAFD), which is holding the event, said in a statement to The Jordan Times on Tuesday that the fifth edition of the Jordan Gaming Summit — held under the theme “How to Grow” — includes holding a series of activities for the first time in Aqaba.

The activities are aimed at empowering young people in the field of digital game developments, he added.

Nour Khrais, chairman of the Jordan Gaming Lab, one of KAFD’s programmes, told The Jordan Times that holding the summit for the fifth time in Jordan demonstrates the country’s commitment to supporting the digital gaming industry and becoming a regional hub for it.

The digital gaming industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world in terms of revenues and technological advancement, with revenues expected to reach $80 billion by the end of 2015 and rise to $120 billion over the next two years, said Khrais. 

He said the summit will enable Jordanian developers to network with their peers in the industry, which will help them succeed in penetrating new markets across the world.

The summit provides an opportunity for young Jordanian developers and participants to exchange ideas with industry leaders and experts, which will reflect favourably on their skills, Khrais added.

Prominent speakers representing world-renowned companies in the industry are participating, including Maria Stukoff, head of PlayStation First — Academic Game Development at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe; Rachad Saddi, mobile apps consultant at Google covering the Middle East and North Africa market; Grant Chang, lead animator of Firaxis Games; Eric Holmes, creative director of DICE; Chad Foxglove, the lead FX artist on the core story team for Destiny from Bungie; Jana Karlikova, who is running Swedish non-profit games accelerator Stugan; and Alison Kelly, adviser of top media entertainment companies.

Topics to be discussed during the summit cover growth in the apps market, the mobile game industry, how to make money in mobile games, building quality games, Jordan games future and visual effects in games, among other issues.

On the sidelines of the summit, an exhibition will be held where companies and developers will showcase their projects and digital games to visitors and participants.

Launched upon directives by His Majesty King Abdullah, “The Gaming Lab” is a facility specifically designed to meet the needs of developers and companies.

At present, there is a gaming lab in Amman and another in Irbid that function as incubators for game developers. The labs have 4,000 young members. 

AMMAN — HRH Princess Rym Al Ali attended a ceremony on Tuesday to name the Jordan Media Institute’s (JMI) main newsroom after former Jordan Times editor Jennifer Hamarneh.

During the ceremony, Princess Rym removed a curtain covering the plaque with Hamarneh’s name.

The newsroom is equipped with modern computers and the latest technology employed in media and journalism.

The princess paid tribute to the late Hamarneh, who passed away in April after a long battle with cancer, highlighting her role in educating new generations of journalists whether at The Jordan Times or elsewhere.

She also highlighted the editor’s contributions as a member of the JMI board, commending her role in enhancing the professionalism of media practitioners in the country.

Hamarneh, who worked at the JT for around 15 years, served as chief editor between 2002 and 2007. She was diagnosed with cancer in 2006.

The naming preceded the graduation ceremony of the sixth batch of JMI MA programme students, which saw 20 students earning their master’s degree in journalism.

This raises to 122 the number of JMI graduates since the institute was founded by Princess Rym in 2006.

Speaking at the graduation, JMI Dean Basim Tweissi said 70 per cent of these graduates now work in professional organisations in 20 countries around the world.

The JMI, he said, is working on expanding cooperation programmes and enhancing study plans in its thesis and non-thesis MA tracks, highlighting the benefits gained by visits to and exchange programmes with various international institutes and organisation including in countries such as Norway, Sweden, Austria, Lebanon and Latvia.

Tweissi also spoke about Hamarneh, describing her as one of the top defenders of the media, who worked towards enhancing professionalism in the sector. 

Her dedication to the profession, he said, is why the JMI board decided to name the main newsroom after her.

Al Ghad Chief Editor Jumana Ghneimat also addressed the graduation ceremony.

Ghneimat, the first female chief editor of an Arabic daily in Jordan (Rana Sabbagh and Hamarneh were chief editors of JT), advised the graduates to fight to achieve their aspirations and to fight for freedom of expression, urging them to maintain their independence.

Frode Rekve, of the Norwegian Institute of Journalism, said the institute’s largest cooperation programmes outside Norway are with JMI, voicing pride in being part of programmes to educate journalists in Jordan and the Arab region.

He also stressed the importance of media freedom, noting that there is “no democracy without freedom of the press”. 

“Freedom is not dangerous; it is a little bit difficult,” Rekve added.

AMMAN — A local study revealed on Tuesday that one in two female survivors (57 per cent) of sexual assault hesitate to file a complaint against their offenders out of fear of shame or scandal.  

The study revealed that other factors deterring female survivors from filing such complaints include family and perpetrators’ threats, which represented 28 per cent of those surveyed.

Meanwhile, nearly half the Jordanians surveyed (45 per cent) believe that a victim’s refusal to marry her offender would result in her death to “protect her family’s honour”.

The study also revealed that 71 per cent of surveyed Jordanians are opposed to allowing perpetrators to escape punishment if they marry their victims as stipulated in Article 308 of the Penal Code.

Meanwhile, 73 per cent of Jordanians believe that the reason victims are wed to their sexual offenders stems from shame and honour. 

The findings were released during a one-day event organised by the Sisterhood is Global Institute (SIGI) Jordan Office and supported by a USAID-supported project implemented by FHI360, a nonprofit human development organisation dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions.

The study also revealed that many of the survivors who married their sexual offenders ended up divorced before the three to five year legal period ended, and there was no legal prosecution by any party despite this breach.

There is no coordination between the Chief Islamic Justice Department and the Ministry of Justice to prosecute convicted sexual offenders who end up divorcing their victims before the end of the legally mandated period, according to the study.

The workshop, which was held at the Landmark Hotel, was attended by activists, lawyers, government officials and representatives of 45 local organisations from the Kingdom’s various governorates with the aim of abolishing Article 308 of the Penal Code.

Under the provision, rapists, molesters and individuals engaged in consensual sex with victims who are under the age of 18 are  spared punishment or legal prosecution if they marry their victims and stay with them for three years (in misdemeanour convictions) or five years (criminal conviction).

The study, which surveyed 850 (771 responded, including 50.2 per cent who were females) people from various governorates in Jordan, is part of a project implemented by SIGI, titled “Najah” (survivor), for protecting sexual crime survivors and preventing perpetrators from escaping punishment, according to lawyer Lubna Duwani, director of SIGI.

The study aimed at exploring society’s acceptance or rejection of scrapping Article 308 as well as learning more about the suffering of survivors and the real motives behind marriages that result from assault, said Duwani.

Meanwhile, SIGI’s chairwoman, and former minister and lawyer, Asma Khader announced during the event the establishment of a national coalition to demand the cancelation of Article 308 from the Penal Code.

“We know that the government made some amendments but we want the entire article to be erased from our law books,” stressed Khader, who is also an activist. 

Activists recently said that because of Article 308, “a staggering 95 per cent of rapists continue to go unpunished.”

Lawyers, journalists, activists, and Muslim and Christian scholars have repeatedly called for the elimination of Article 308 and the adoption of better psychological and legal measures to protect victims of rape and molestation in Jordan.

Supporters of the article claim that “it is meant to protect the honour and reputation of the victim.”

All proposed changes to the Penal Code are “currently under review by Jordan’s Legislation and Opinion Bureau” which is affiliated with the Prime Ministry, according to Khader.

They must pass through both Houses of Parliament and receive His Majesty’s approval before they can go into effect, Khader added.

Additional findings from the survey

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on Tuesday discussed the latest developments regarding the Palestinian cause with UN Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov.

Judeh stressed the importance of immediately stopping the Israeli assaults that are a clear violation of international laws and agreements, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

During the meeting, the minister reviewed the Israeli attacks on Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, stressing that Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah, is the custodian of Islamic and Christian holy sites in the city and will stand firmly against anyone who violates them. 

The two officials agreed to continue coordination and dialogue over the matter, and Mladenov commended Jordan’s efforts to establish peace and security in the region.

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Tuesday expressed Jordan's willingness to provide Saudi Arabia with its expertise and the necessary human resources in the field of social development.

At a meeting with Saudi Minister of Social Affairs Majid Al Qasabi, Ensour commended the "historical and brotherly" relations between the two kingdoms, expressing keenness on boosting relations to levels that serve the interests of both countries and their people, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The premier briefed Qasabi on the challenges facing Jordan as a result of regional instability, which requires beefing up the Kingdom's security measures at borders to limit the smuggling of weapons and drugs, and human trafficking. 

The Saudi minister praised Jordan's ongoing work in line with the Jordan 2025 economic blueprint, especially in regard to drafting a law on social work, and stressed Saudi Arabia's willingness to provide any support necessary, according to Petra.

The meeting was also attended by Social Development Minister Reem Abu Hassan and Saudi Ambassador to Jordan Sami Al Saleh.

Abu Hassan also held a separate meeting with Qasabi on Tuesday to discuss means to enhance cooperation in social fields between Jordan and Saudi Arabia. 

Abu Hassan expressed her aspiration for the institutionalisation of real partnerships in development work and the signing of joint agreements, calling for a twinning programme between the two ministries at all levels. 

For his part, Qasabi expressed Saudi Arabia’s interest in benefiting from the Jordanian experience in drawing policies and regulations relevant to social development work, such as the National Aid Fund, and ways to achieve social security by changing aid recipients into productive members of society, according to Petra.