US embassy cable - 02AMMAN5908

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 005908 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2012 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, PREL, US, JO 
SUBJECT: PM ABUL RAGHEB TELLS DAS CHENEY GOJ WORKING ON 
LEGAL REVISION TO HELP STOP HONOR KILLINGS 
 
 
Classified By: Amb. Edward W. Gnehm for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D) 
 
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PM:  "WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT DOING SOMETHING" 
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1.  (C)  NEA DAS Elizabeth Cheney met October 8 with Prime 
Minister Ali Abul Ragheb to discuss economic, political, and 
educational reform issues (septel).  Ambassador Gnehm, USAID 
Director, and PolCouns accompanied.  Planning Minister Bassam 
Awadallah and PM's Media Advisor Natasha Bukhari sat in on 
the Jordanian side.  Following discussion of Jordan's 
economic reform program, Cheney expressed to the PM continued 
USG concern about the practice of honor killings in Jordan. 
In particular, she noted that Jordan has the potential to 
become a model for the region in terms of development, but 
that continued tolerance of the practice of honor killings 
stands in the way.  Cheney noted strong USG concern with 
Article 340 of the Jordanian criminal code which permits 
honor killings, and Article 98, which is often used to reduce 
sentences for perpetrators of these crimes. 
 
2.  (C)  Abul Ragheb responded that many outside Jordan have 
misinterpreted honor killings.  "Islam is against it; it 
comes out of tradition."  He said there is also confusion 
about the two sections of Jordanian law that deal with 
punishment for honor crimes.  Article 340, most often cited 
as the "honor crimes law," actually deals with "crimes of 
passion" and can only be applied if a husband catches a wife 
in the act of infidelity and kills her or her lover on the 
spot.  Abul Ragheb claimed that this law had only been 
applied three times, given the specificity of the exception. 
He said the GOJ has already amended this law to make it 
gender non-specific (i.e. spouse versus husband or wife). 
 
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MINIMUM SENTENCE FOR ALL MURDER CONVICTIONS 
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3.  (C)  The real issue of concern, he continued, was the 
broader Article 98, which instructs judges to take into 
account the circumstances of murders in handing out 
punishment.  Judges in Jordan have traditionally used Article 
98 to reduce sentences as part of mediation efforts between 
families or tribes to prevent the start of a feud.  They have 
also used this clause to reduce sentences in honor killing 
cases when the family of the perpetrator (which is usually 
also the family of the victim) asks for leniency so the 
guilty male relative can continue to support his family.  The 
GOJ, he said, realizes that, in many cases, a man will kill a 
female relative for another reason and say he was moved to 
kill her to protect the family honor.  Abul Ragheb said the 
GOJ wants to institute a minimum sentence for all persons 
convicted of any kind of murder (he mentioned 7 and 5 years 
as possibilities).  This would ensure that those who claimed 
to have killed in the name of honor would not receive token 
sentences.  If the government makes this amendment to Article 
98 and honor killers receive "serious sentences, they won't 
do it any more."  "We are serious about doing something about 
this." 
 
4.  (C)  DAS Cheney noted the importance of a strong public 
message from the GOJ condemning the practice of honor 
killings.  She asked if the GOJ would also consider a public 
information campaign on honor killings, and offered USG 
assistance for such an effort.  Abul Ragheb said that the 
subject of honor killings had been taboo until 4 years ago, 
when the government and Royal family had begun a significant 
information campaign against honor killings.  However, in 
2000 when the GOJ had tried to amend Article 340, Parliament 
soundly defeated the GOJ's proposal.  Parliamentarians voted 
against the law, he said, either to "save tradition" or 
"ensure law and order."  Cheney reiterated the potential 
importance of such a campaign, and noted that the USG would 
like to provide support to end the practice. 
 
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GOJ SUPPORTS ARAB HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 
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5. (C)  DAS Cheney had also discussed honor killings in an 
October 7 meeting with Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher (other 
topics reported septel).  DAS Cheney told Muasher the U.S. 
stood ready to assist the GOJ in addressing this problem, 
noting that changes here could have wider implications 
regionally given Jordan's potential role as a model on a host 
of reform issues. 
 
6. (C)  Muasher said the GOJ is working to address this 
"convoluted notion of honor that is deeply rooted in a 
socially conservative society."  Muasher said that 
he is personally doing all he can "to give a signal 
that these things will not be tolerated."  As an 
example, he outlined the steps he has taken since becoming 
Foreign Minister to eliminate discrimination against 
women in the diplomatic corps, including providing equal 
benefits and allowances for spouses and children of all 
diplomats, regardless of the gender of the officer (ref). 
DAS Cheney commended these efforts, and noted that there 
are broad issues of women's empowerment that require 
near and long term strategies to address.  The issue of 
honor killings, however, is different and requires an 
immediate resolution. 
 
7. (C)  As the meeting concluded both DAS Cheney and 
Muasher agreed that the problem of gender discrimination 
is an important issue the Arab world must address, 
and that the recently issued UN Arab Human Development 
Report (AHDR) provides concrete suggestions for policy 
reforms to address gender equality issues.  Muasher 
observed that Jordan is "the only Arab country that has 
fully endorsed" the report.  The GOJ, he said, will 
continue to take a "very proactive role" in inter-Arab 
deliberations on these issues.  DAS Cheney told Muasher 
that Jordan should consider the U.S. a partner in this 
regard. 
 
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ACTIVIST DISCUSSES HONOR KILLINGS 
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8.  (C)  April Palmerlee, Senior Coordinator for 
International Women's issues, also raised the issue of 
honor killings during her meetings with GOJ officials and 
NGOs. Nancy Bakir, Human Rights Advisor to the Prime 
Minister, agreed with Palmerlee that honor killings are a 
serious matter but noted that societal attitudes are 
improving, and that the Jordanian media now regularly 
report on honor killings.  In a subsequent meeting with 
human rights activist Sa'eda Kilani, Kilani said that 
people had become confused between laws with regard to 
honor killings and "crimes of passion," and that, in 
her opinion, the GOJ should do more to clarify the 
differences.  Kilani said that the fact that any 
woman has to live in fear of being killed by her 
husband or close family member is tragic, and noted 
efforts of Royal Family members (in particular Prince Ali) 
to address the issue.  "The Royal Court, in general, 
is quite supportive of women's rights," Kilani said. 
 
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COMMENT 
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9.  (C)  Abul Ragheb's comments and pledge to amend 
Article 98 are the most positive statements from the 
GOJ on honor killings since the failed attempt 
to repeal Section 340 in 2000. 
 
10.  (U)  DAS Cheney has cleared this message. 
 
GNEHM