US embassy cable - 02AMMAN2559

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002559 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2012 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, JO 
SUBJECT: COURT FINDS FORMER MP GUILTY OF SLANDERING 
GOVERNMENT, SENTENCES HER TO  1 1/2 YEARS IN PRISON. 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm Reason: 1.5 (B) and (D) 
 
-------- 
 SUMMARY 
 -------- 
 
1.  (C)  The State Security Court May 16 sentenced former 
Member of Parliament Toujan Faisal to one and a half years 
in prison.  Because she was convicted of only 
"misdemeanors," she has no right to appeal.  Faisal was 
convicted on all of four charges levied against her:  1) 
slandering the judiciary, 2) publishing false and 
exaggerated news abroad deemed harmful to the country's 
integrity, 3) publishing false material deemed harmful to 
the country and its citizens and 4) insulting the faith of 
another.  Faisal's prosecution appears to be the result of 
a political vendetta by PM Abul Ragheb, against whom she 
made public allegations of corruption.  Even though an 
isolated incident, Faisal's conviction serves as an 
unfortunate reminder that the GOJ still has the ability to 
use the judicial system against its domestic critics -- at 
least against those who, like Faisal, are unpopular and 
politically isolated. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------------------ 
BACKGROUND ) AN UNPOPULAR OPPONENT 
------------------------------------ 
 
2.  (C)  Toujan Faisal was elected to Parliament in 1993 -- 
the only woman ever to be elected by popular vote.  She was 
not reelected in 1997.  She was active in Jordanian media 
and government before her tenure as an MP.  After her 1997 
electoral loss and prior to her March 16 arrest, Faisal was 
seen almost universally as a political opportunist who had 
little public support and who was essentially finished as a 
politician.  Even the most ardent of Faisal's supporters 
have abandoned her of late.  In a 19 May meeting with 
POLOFF, Faisal's former campaign manager lamented the 
former MP's political demise, stating that Faisal had blown 
her opportunity to be the liberal )- as opposed to Islamic 
)- opposition leader in Jordan. 
 
3.  (C)  Among other public attacks on the GOJ, Faisal 
accused Prime Minister Ali Abul Ragheb of corruption; her 
specific charge was that he and his family were profiting 
from a law that raised auto insurance premiums.  On a 
recent venture to Iraq, Faisal publicly blasted the GOJ 
from Baghdad, alleging in front of an Iraqi audience that 
King Abdullah II and the PM were corrupt.  In addition, she 
sent a letter to the King accusing several other officials 
of corruption.  Following her arrest, Faisal was first 
released following the intervention of prominent members of 
the Circassian community with the PM.  However, following 
further statements by Faisal critical of PM Abul Ragheb, 
her Circassian supporters apparently absolved themselves of 
any responsibility for her actions, and Faisal was 
rearrested three days later and incarcerated pending trial. 
 
 
----------------- 
VENDETTA POLITICS 
----------------- 
 
  4. (C)  It appears that the notoriously thin-skinned PM, 
despite efforts by senior GOJ officials to mollify his 
anger, personally made the decision to punish Faisal for 
her public allegations against him, the King and others. 
PAO reports that, in a recent dinner with senior GOJ 
officials, Minister of Tourism Taleb Rifai openly 
challenged the tactics employed by the PM against Faisal; 
Minister of Higher Education Walid Maani defended the PM's 
actions and Minister of Telecommunication Fawaz Zobi sought 
to moderate and tone down the heated discussion (which 
occurred in the presence of senior Embassy officials).  The 
Ambassador also raised the Faisal case during the course of 
her trial with PM Abul Ragheb, who was unrepentant, 
accusing Faisal of spreading lies about him and other 
cabinet ministers. 
 
5. (C)  Former MP and Islamic Action Front (IAF) member 
Abdullah Akayleh told POLOFF in a May 15 meeting that the 
whole event is an example of Jordanian politics at its 
worst, with the PM actually raising the profile of and 
lending credence to the allegation of a nearly forgotten 
former MP.  In a 16 May meeting with POLOFF, a senior GOJ 
official heatedly criticized the tactics of the PM, stating 
that it was bad for Jordan and bad for the King.  This view 
is widespread in political circles, although the PM 
continues to hold support for his actions against Faisal, 
in particular from former PM Zaid bin Shakr. 
 
-------------------------------------- -------------------- 
THE VERDICT MAKES FAISAL INELIGIBLE TO SERVE IN PARLIAMENT 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
6.  (C)  The State Security Court May 16 found Faisal 
guilty of all four misdemeanor charges levied against her 
and sentenced her to 18 months in custody  Most people 
familiar with the case expected Faisal to be given a six- 
month sentence, although the Court had the authority to 
sentence her for up to three years.  Since these crimes are 
technically "misdemeanors," the amendments made to the 
State Security Court law last September prohibit an appeal. 
In addition, the eighteen- month sentence will likely 
prevent her from running for the Parliament in the future: 
the Constitution bars candidacy for all those who have 
received a sentence in excess of one year.  In a 19 May 
meeting with POLOFF, a local reporter indicated that there 
is discussion about the possibility of the King commuting 
Faisal's sentence. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
7.  (C)  Faisal is unpopular in the political establishment 
and is seen by most as an obstreperous political 
opportunist.  Over the years her traditional supporters, 
i.e. educated, anti-islamist women, have essentially 
abandoned her because of her abrasive manner and 
ineffectiveness on key issues.  Nevertheless, PM Abul 
Ragheb's politically motivated prosecution has made her 
appear to be a victim of GOJ persecution, given her 
allegations of corruption greater local political weight, 
and -- at least temporarily -- raised her political 
profile.  The harsh prison sentence -- likely given to 
prevent Faisal from running for Parliament in the future -- 
may make some Jordanians think twice about firing salvos 
toward the government.  However, it has also emboldened 
some regime critics ) ironically including her political 
adversary the Islamic Action Front -- who have adopted 
Faisal's case as a club to use to beat up the government. 
While Faisal's case appears to be an isolated incident, her 
prosecution, conviction, and harsh sentence show that 
senior GOJ officials can still use the judicial system to 
attack domestic critics. 
 
Gnehm