Political detainee Rani Ibrahim al-Zawahreh continued his hunger strike on Friday for the 52nd consecutive day, in protest at his ongoing detention since 19 July 2023 and what he describes as arbitrary judicial proceedings. He is demanding his release and the closure of what he says is a politically motivated case in which he is accused of “disturbing relations with a friendly state”.
Al-Zawahreh had previously undertaken three consecutive hunger strikes, the first lasting 22 days, the second 30 days, and the third 37 days, the last of which he ended following an agreement for his release, amidst harsh detention conditions and repeated physical and psychological abuses by security forces.
He was abducted in front of his home by a large, heavily armed security unit. When he attempted to flee, he was violently pushed towards a large vehicle that ran over him, in an incident that exposes the use of force and intimidation as a systematic tool to silence political dissent in Jordan, in clear violation of citizens’ fundamental rights.
These incidents come within the context of a wider crackdown targeting political opponents and activists, where national laws are selectively invoked to justify arbitrary arrests, while fair-trial guarantees and detainees’ rights in prison, including the right to physical safety and health, particularly for those on hunger strike, are neglected.
The detention of al-Zawahreh constitutes a clear breach of the Jordanian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression and the right to a fair trial. It also violates international treaties to which Jordan is a party, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibits arbitrary detention and guarantees every person’s right to life, dignity, and protection from harm.
The use of force, abduction, and threats of violence by security agencies represents a blatant violation of Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which affirms that “everyone has the right to liberty and personal security”. It likewise breaches international standards on the rights of prisoners and detainees, including the right to healthcare and bodily integrity.
The persistence of such practices reflects a deteriorating political climate in Jordan, where activists and opposition figures are subjected to show trials and arbitrary detention, thus eroding the separation of powers and turning the judiciary into an instrument for suppressing dissent.
This reality leaves detainees exposed to grave health risks, particularly those engaging in hunger strikes, in a stark manifestation of the state’s failure to safeguard basic human rights.
