Society marks two decades of human rights activism

AMMAN — The Jordanian Society for Human Rights (JSHR) on Wednesday launched a book that chronicles its two decades of activism at a celebration marking its 20th anniversary. 

The “20 Years of Struggle” book focuses on the society’s work, achievements, reports, and endeavours to effect positive change in human rights situation in Jordan, according to JSHR President Suleiman Sweis. 

Since 1996, the development in the status of human rights in Jordan has been “shallow”, especially on basic issues such as media freedom, Sweis said at the ceremony.

He told The Jordan Times that the lack of significant improvement in the human rights situation in Jordan is not because civil society organisations are not working hard enough, but because many key grievances are perceived as “a redline”, citing as an example the potential of the General Intelligence Department detaining someone for 30 days without formally charging him/her.

Speaking at the book launch, President of the Independent Federation of Jordanian Trade Unions Azzam Smadi highlighted the JSHR’s efforts to call for amending Article 31 of the Labour Law, which has been described as being unfair to labourers, enabling business owners to lay off workers under the pretext of restructuring. 

Journalist Mohammad Faouri, talked about the importance of the specialised training courses that the society conducts to educate journalists about human rights and its relation to their work.