Murder in the Name of Honor by Rana Husseini Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Rana Husseini
conference.
Despite this, our first request to hold a press conference in Amman was rejected by the mayor. It took a senior official at the Royal Palace to persuade him otherwise.
Our petition read:
We are a group of Jordanian citizens who have no personal, political, or racial interests, but are gathered with one unifying issue as free individuals, which is our right to a good and safe life, free from violence in a society that protects the rights of all,which abides by the Constitution that assures equality to all in front of the law in rights and duties.
Through the years, our country has witnessed abhorrent crimes that appal every clear-thinking and honest Jordanian. These crimes were committed in the name of honour, and those who have committed them have received soft sentences, which in turn encouraged their belief and that of others that the crime they committed is socially acceptable.
Since the victims no longer have a voice to raise, and since we jealously guard the life and the safety of all Jordanian citizens and the right of each Jordanian to live in peace and harmony based on respect for human dignity, individual rights, justice, security, fair trial and defence and because these crimes contradict Islamic law (Sharia), the Constitution and the International Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), we express our support of the decision of the Minister of Justice Hamzeh Haddad and the government, who, in moving to abolish Article 340 of the Jordanian Penal Code, have acted according to the spirit of His Majesty King Abdullahâs directives to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women.
Based on these principles, we decided to organize this campaign to practise our civil rights to demand that legislative, judicial and administrative authorities and the various national official sectors take all necessary measures and use all legal, democratic means at their disposal â judicial, legislative, educational and media â to eliminate this ugly phenomenon.
In the name of our sisters, daughters and mothers who do not have any voice, in the name of those who this minute unjustly suffer different forms of violence and injury to protect honour, with no one to protect them and guarantee their human rights, we raise our own voices.
We call for the immediate cancellation of Article 340 in itsentirety, which reduces penalties and exempts those who kill or injure in the name of honour.
We stress the need to implement the law so as not to waste any chance to punish killers and to show society that these crimes will not be tolerated. We stress the need to enforce a fair and preventive punishment against anyone who commits crimes against women in the name of honour.
We call on all concerned citizens of this country to share our work to ensure that this initiative is a national effort which will allow Jordanians to express their opinions so that the authorities will take the necessary steps to protect the safety of innocent women who are victims of traditions and social norms that have no basis in Islam, the Jordanian Constitution or basic human rights.
We have prepared numbered petitions [for those who wish to raise their voice against these crimes].
Jordanian citizens who are legally eligible to vote may sign these petitions.
Our aim is to collect thousands of signatures to emphasize the desire of a large percentage of voters to cancel Article 340 of the Jordanian Penal Code and to work intensively with all means available to abolish this inhuman practice.
We launch our campaign by appealing to all citizens to take the initiative and sign this petition.
We also prepared a pamphlet, which was designed for us for free by Ani Orfali. It was simple but eye-catching, with a bold black, white and red design. It included over eighty names of women recently murdered in Jordan in the name of honour, along with murder statistics and information on Article 340 as well as other
Despite this, our first request to hold a press conference in Amman was rejected by the mayor. It took a senior official at the Royal Palace to persuade him otherwise.
Our petition read:
We are a group of Jordanian citizens who have no personal, political, or racial interests, but are gathered with one unifying issue as free individuals, which is our right to a good and safe life, free from violence in a society that protects the rights of all,which abides by the Constitution that assures equality to all in front of the law in rights and duties.
Through the years, our country has witnessed abhorrent crimes that appal every clear-thinking and honest Jordanian. These crimes were committed in the name of honour, and those who have committed them have received soft sentences, which in turn encouraged their belief and that of others that the crime they committed is socially acceptable.
Since the victims no longer have a voice to raise, and since we jealously guard the life and the safety of all Jordanian citizens and the right of each Jordanian to live in peace and harmony based on respect for human dignity, individual rights, justice, security, fair trial and defence and because these crimes contradict Islamic law (Sharia), the Constitution and the International Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), we express our support of the decision of the Minister of Justice Hamzeh Haddad and the government, who, in moving to abolish Article 340 of the Jordanian Penal Code, have acted according to the spirit of His Majesty King Abdullahâs directives to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women.
Based on these principles, we decided to organize this campaign to practise our civil rights to demand that legislative, judicial and administrative authorities and the various national official sectors take all necessary measures and use all legal, democratic means at their disposal â judicial, legislative, educational and media â to eliminate this ugly phenomenon.
In the name of our sisters, daughters and mothers who do not have any voice, in the name of those who this minute unjustly suffer different forms of violence and injury to protect honour, with no one to protect them and guarantee their human rights, we raise our own voices.
We call for the immediate cancellation of Article 340 in itsentirety, which reduces penalties and exempts those who kill or injure in the name of honour.
We stress the need to implement the law so as not to waste any chance to punish killers and to show society that these crimes will not be tolerated. We stress the need to enforce a fair and preventive punishment against anyone who commits crimes against women in the name of honour.
We call on all concerned citizens of this country to share our work to ensure that this initiative is a national effort which will allow Jordanians to express their opinions so that the authorities will take the necessary steps to protect the safety of innocent women who are victims of traditions and social norms that have no basis in Islam, the Jordanian Constitution or basic human rights.
We have prepared numbered petitions [for those who wish to raise their voice against these crimes].
Jordanian citizens who are legally eligible to vote may sign these petitions.
Our aim is to collect thousands of signatures to emphasize the desire of a large percentage of voters to cancel Article 340 of the Jordanian Penal Code and to work intensively with all means available to abolish this inhuman practice.
We launch our campaign by appealing to all citizens to take the initiative and sign this petition.
We also prepared a pamphlet, which was designed for us for free by Ani Orfali. It was simple but eye-catching, with a bold black, white and red design. It included over eighty names of women recently murdered in Jordan in the name of honour, along with murder statistics and information on Article 340 as well as other
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