The Lower House of Parliament endorsed the draft general pardon law for 2024 in a majority vote.
The decision was made during Tuesday’s session, presided over by Ahmed Safadi, with Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh and government officials present.
Acknowledging His Majesty King Abdullah II’s directive for the government to enact a general pardon, MPs expressed gratitude, seeing it as a beacon of hope, particularly amid current circumstances.
On March 20, 2024, King Abdullah II instructed the government to draft and process a general pardon law as per constitutional procedures, marking his 25th anniversary since assuming constitutional duties.
MPs urged for an all-encompassing pardon for cases that involve reconciliation, barring those infringing upon honor or national security. They called for including as many cases, in which personal claims were dropped, as possible.
They advocated for the pardon to cover murder cases in which reconciliation occurred, insisting on expanding exemptions related to student
and agricultural loans and considering first-time drug offenses, excluding individuals affiliated with regional criminal networks.
Additionally, MPs pushed for the inclusion of arms smuggling into Palestine within the pardon.
The Lower House dismissed MP Abdul Karim Daghmi’s proposal to pardon certain murder cases involving reconciliation.
Responding to parliamentary queries, Justice Minister Ahmed Zayadat affirmed the government’s commitment to royal directives on the principles and regulations governing the pardon, ruling out loan inclusion due to civil obligations.
At the session’s outset, MPs accepted a motion to prioritize general pardon discussion without referral to the concerned committee, postponing other agenda items accordingly.
Each representative was granted two minutes to address the draft law under the dome, a decision contested by MPs Abdul Karim Daghmi and Saleh Armouti, citing its limitation on idea conveyance.
In a preceding session chaired by PM Bisher Khasawneh, the Cabinet ratified
the 2024 general pardon draft, fast-tracking its referral to the legislators for approval under constitutional principles.
Source: Jordan News Agency