US embassy cable - 02AMMAN3249

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 003249 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/16/12 
TAGS: PHUM, JO, PGOV 
SUBJECT: THE CASE OF TOUJAN FAISAL:  SCRATCHING ONLY MAKES 
IT WORSE 
 
REF: AMMAN 2559 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR EDWARD W. GNEHM: REASONS: 1.5 (B) and (D) 
 
1. (C)  SUMMARY.  Imprisoned former Member of Parliament 
Toujan Faisal continues to be a topic of discussion and 
debate within various elements of Jordanian society. 
Following her arrest and sentencing (reftel), the outspoken 
and antagonistic former MP has reportedly gone on a hunger 
strike in prison and claims to be suffering from breast 
cancer (without access to proper medical treatment).  On June 
11, a group including Faisal's attorney and human rights 
activists held a press conference, at which they blamed the 
GOJ for Faisal's incarceration and called for her immediate 
release.  While there is scant domestic media attention to 
this issue, it is a very hot topic of conversation among many 
Jordanians, with the majority opining that Faisal is 
imprisoned wrongfully and that her accusations of corruption 
against GOJ officials definitely hit a nerve - and therefore 
must be true to some degree.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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PRESS CONFERENCE CALLS FOR GOJ TO RELEASE FAISAL 
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2. (C)  On June 11, a group of human rights activists calling 
themselves the "Popular Committee to Support Toujan Faisal" 
held a press conference at the Jordanian Women's Federation 
in Amman.  Attendees included local human rights advocates as 
well as some from Egypt and Europe.   The committee issued a 
statement calling for Faisal's immediate release.  In 
addition, the statement condemned the GOJ's silence to their 
repeated requests to release Faisal.  The statement also said 
that the GOJ's handling of this case marks a deterioration of 
democracy in Jordan and called for "canceling temporary laws 
that prohibit freedoms and speech freedom". 
 
3.  (C)  One of the committee members, Fawzi Samhoury 
(Protect), is a long-time embassy contact.  Samhoury told 
POLOFF that the committee had sent a letter more than two 
weeks ago to King Abdullah signed by approximately one 
hundred people, requesting the release of Faisal.  The letter 
has yet to receive a response.  As a result, the committee 
moved forward with the press conference.  Samhoury noted that 
there was scant media attention, which he attributed to a 
'boycott' by the mainstream media.  Two local papers did 
cover the conference (Arab Al-Yawm and Al-Sabil) with short 
stories.  The articles allege that Faisal is ailing from 
breast cancer, is on a hunger strike, and is being denied 
access to appropriate medical treatment. 
 
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FAISAL'S SITUATION RESONATING WITHIN JORDANIAN SOCIETY 
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4. (C)  Toujan Faisal has been a persistent topic of 
conversation for many Jordanians.  Members of the young, 
upper middle-class crowd (who seem most interested in reform) 
routinely cite the Faisal case as evidence in their growing 
belief that the GOJ is feckless in dealing with corruption. 
Increasingly, Jordanians are focusing their blame for 
Faisal's imprisonment away from the PM and other GOJ 
officials and towards the King.  As the King is the only 
person capable of releasing Faisal, the argument goes, he 
must either pardon her or shoulder the blame for her 
incarceration.  At a recent dinner with prominent Circassian 
community leaders, the Ambassador was struck by the intensity 
and duration of discussion concerning Faisal.  NOTE:  Faisal 
is herself a member of the Jordanian Circassian community. 
 
 
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COMMENT 
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5. (C)  As reported in reftel, Faisal was a nearly forgotten 
former MP until her sentencing and subsequent imprisonment. 
While most Jordanians generally consider her nothing more 
than an irritating political sidewinder, the State Security 
Court's conviction and sentencing of Faisal has created a 
level of sympathy for her that she otherwise would not enjoy. 
 In addition, her imprisonment encourages discussion her of 
allegations of corruption.  Most Jordanians with a knowledge 
of the case believe that the GOJ's rash action against Faisal 
lends credence to her allegations.  Faisal's imprisonment is 
likely to remain a thorn in the side of the GOJ as long as it 
continues. 
Gnehm