Report: Torture Common in Jordan's Prisons

by Matt Kelley · 2008-10-10 14:39:00 UTC
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Torture is widespread in Jordan's prisons and attempts in the last two years to control it have failed, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch, which found that prisoners there are frequently beaten with electrical cables and suspended by their wrists from metal grates for even minor infractions. And while the U.S. has harsh words for human rights abuses in counties like Russia and Iran, there is little pressure on Jordan, a staunch ally in the Middle East, to clean up its act.

Jordan's King Abdullah (above) has called for reforms "according to the latest specifications consistent with international standards," but HRW found no "lasting effects of the government position."

"Five days ago, guards beat me with the padlock on the door to our ward because I went to the toilet with the wrong clothes," said a prisoner identified in the report as Ghaith. "Then they took me to the gate, hung me by the wrists with two separate handcuffs, spreading my arms out between two window grills, and punched me in my stomach and chest."

HRW found general conditions in Jordan's prisons generally deplorable, especially the food, health care and visitation rights. More than 60% of prisoners interviewed by HRW reported some sort of ill treatment, often amounting to torture.

"Torture in Jordan's prison system is widespread even two years after King Abdullah called for reforms to stop it once and for all," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director for Human Rights Watch. "The mechanisms for preventing torture by holding torturers accountable are simply not working."

Download the full HRW report.

Join Human Rights Watch on Change.org.

Matt Kelley is the Online Communications Manager at the Innocence Project and a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Follow him on Twitter @mattjkelley.
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