New bill stiffens penalties in festive firing incidents — Hammad

AMMAN — The Interior Ministry has prepared a new draft law on weapons and ammunition, and sent it to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau, to stiffen penalties against those who fire bullets for no legal reason, Interior Minister Salameh Hammad said Wednesday.

The new draft law comes at a time when the phenomenon of festive firing at weddings and social events has reached a limit that cannot be overlooked without taking legal, social, educational and religious measures to uproot it, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Moreover, Hammad said the bill aims at prohibiting licensing automated weapons and introduces new regulations for owning and carrying weapons. 

He said the draft law will be examined soon by the Cabinet for approval and then sent to Parliament for endorsement.

Preparing the draft law is in line with the Interior Ministry’s belief in the importance of resolving national challenges and fighting crime in all its forms to maintain the country’s security and stability, according to the minister.

Hammad said he instructed the Public Security Department (PSD) and administrative governors to boost monitoring of those who carry and use weapons, arresting anyone who uses them illegally.

The minister also commended Awqaf Minister Hayel Dawood’s efforts in directing imams and preachers at mosques to dedicate next Friday’s sermon to talk about the issue from a religious point of view.

He stressed the importance of the role of civil community institutions in raising awareness on the dangers of the phenomenon, which kills innocent people, according to Petra.

The Iftaa Department issued a religious edict in April urging people to abandon this practice because it disturbs peace and harms others.

According to official figures released last October, three people were killed and 41 injured by festive firing in 2014.

At least 21 cases were registered last year against anonymous assailants, where shooters could not be identified, according to the PSD.

Earlier this week, a video of a child being shot and killed during a wedding in Irbid’s Huwara town went viral, causing outrage among citizens.

The footage showed a man reloading a gun and shooting in the air during a wedding, and in another attempt to reload the gun that was pointed towards two children standing next to him, a bullet was discharged, striking one of them.

The bullet struck the six-year-old victim in the chest and he died instantly.

The suspect, who is in his thirties, was charged by the Criminal Court prosecutor and was ordered detained for 15 days at a correctional and rehabilitation centre pending further investigation.

A few days after the incident, PSD Director Maj. Gen. Atef Saudi pledged to lock up any groom whose wedding includes festive shooting.

On Tuesday night, central Amman PSD personnel dealt with a festive firing incident at a wedding in the Ashrafieh neighbourhood that resulted in the injury of a little girl, a statement said Wednesday. 

The child was hospitalised and is now in fair condition, the PSD said.

Officers apprehended the groom and his father for questioning, which led to identifying the perpetrator and seizing his weapon. 

The shooter was referred to the prosecutor general on charges of attempted murder and he was ordered detained at the Jweideh Correctional and Rehabilitation Centre, the PSD said. 

The groom and his father were referred to the governor, who ordered their detention at Jweideh, to be released on bail, for disturbing public order.