August 2005

AI Index: MDE 16/004/2005

Jordan

Torture and secret detention

Testimony of the ‘disappeared’ in the ‘war on terror’

ACTION SHEET 4 – Jordanian authorities

TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT IN INCOMMUNICADO DETENTION

Yemeni national, Salah Nasser Salim ‘Ali, 27 years old, was living in Jakarta, Indonesia, with his Indonesian wife Aisha when he was arrested on 19 August 2003, while out shopping. He was held in the main immigration centre in Jakarta for four days before being sent to Jordan. On arrival at Amman airport, he was taken to the detention facilities of the Jordanian intelligence service, where he says he was tortured continuously for four days. He says that he was routinely beaten by Jordanian officials, including with sticks, spat upon, verbally abused and threatened with sexual abuse and electric shocks. He also describes in detail being subjected to the torture technique known as falaqa (beatings with sticks on the soles of the feet). On one occasion the guards tried to force him to sit on a bottle so that it would penetrate his anus. It was only when he threatened to hit them with the bottle that they backed off.

Yemeni national, Muhammad Faraj Ahmed Bashmilah, aged 37, also lived in Indonesia. In October 2003 he travelled to Jordan with his wife Zahra to be with his mother who was about to have medical treatment there. On arrival at Amman airport, Jordanian immigration authorities took his passport and told him to collect it three days later. When he tried to collect it he was detained by the General Intelligence Department (Da’irat al-Mukhabarat al-‘Amah) and was asked whether he had ever travelled to Afghanistan. He answered "yes". From that moment, he didn’t see anyone except Jordanian and US prison guards and interrogators until he was handed over to the Yemeni authorities more than a year and a half later. While in custody in Jordan, Muhammad Faraj Ahmed Bashmilah was tortured to the extent that he broke down in distress when asked about it by AI delegates in June 2005.

 For more details on these cases, please see AI’s report Torture and secret detention: Testimony of the ‘disappeared’ in the ‘war on terror’.AI Index: AMR 51/108/2005 http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engamr511082005 For more information on the campaign, including appeals, see http://web.amnesty.org/pages/stoptorture-index-eng To take further action, please keep reading..

Call on the Jordanian authorities to:

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STOPthe practice of torture and other ill-treatment in detention centres

 Stop torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in the "war on terror": make clear to all officials involved in the treatment or interrogation of detainees and prisoners that such acts are prohibited absolutely and will not be tolerated.

STOPthe use of incommunicado detention

 Stop secret and incommunicado detention, and "disappearances" – human rights violations in themselves and conditions in which torture thrives. All detainees should be ensured immediate access to family, lawyers and independent doctors.

 Charge detainees or release them. Detainees should be brought before an independent judicial authority independent of the security forces promptly after arrest; if no recognizably criminal charges are brought against them they should be released.

PROSECUTEanyone found responsible for human rights violations

 Investigate all allegations of torture and other ill-treatment against Muhammad Faraj Ahmed Bashmilah and Salah Nasser Salim ‘Ali and ensure that anyone against whom there is evidence of having committed, ordered or authorized torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment is brought to justice in fair proceedings.

COMPENSATE the victims who have been subjected to torture and other ill-treatment

 Ensure that Muhammad Faraj Ahmed Bashmilah and Salah Nasser Salim ‘Ali have access to, and the means to obtain, full reparation including restitution, compensation and rehabilitation.

Write to:

His Majesty King ‘Abdallah bin Hussein Awni Yarvas Major General Samih Asfoura

Office of H.M. the King Minister of Interior Head of General Intelligence

Royal Palace Ministry of Interior Department

Amman PO Box 100 General Intelligence Department

Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Amman Amman

Fax + 962 6 462 7421 Hashemite Kingdom The Hashemite Kingdom

email: info@nic.gov.jo of Jordan of Jordan

Fax + 962 6 560 6908 Fax + 962 6 586 4111

Email: info@moi.gov.jo email: gid@gid.gov.jo

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