AFP

LONDON: Amnesty on Friday urged Jordan to free pro-reform activists, saying the king's directive to his new premier to respect freedom of speech is at odds with punitive measures against peaceful protesters.
 
"Amnesty International calls on the Jordanian authorities to release all those held solely for exercising their right to freedom of expression, association and assembly immediately and unconditionally," said Ann Harrison, Amnesty's Deputy Programme Director for the Middle East and North Africa.
 
The rights group said 20 detainees -- all members of pro-reform groups -- were arrested across Jordan between July 15 and October 4 either during or after peaceful protests calling for legal and economic reforms, greater political freedoms and an end to corruption.
 
The London-based group said the arrests go against the king's directive to new Prime Minister Abdullah Nsur.
 
"King Abdallah's open letter this week to the incoming prime minister, emphasising the 'government's responsibility to respect freedom of expression and the right to peaceful protest', is at odds with the punitive measures we are seeing imposed on peaceful protesters," Amnesty said.
 
It was the responsibility of the authorities to ensure that detainees are "protected against torture and other ill-treatment," the group said as it called for impartial investigations in the cases involving the activists.
 
On Wednesday, King Abdullah II asked Nsur to form a government that must ensure all Jordanians take part in the upcoming legislative polls, after Islamists said they would boycott the election.
 
"Between now and election day, your government is expected to continue dialogue with all segments of society, political parties and political forces, to encourage them to effectively take part in the elections as candidates and voters," the king told Nsur in an official letter of designation.
 
The king dissolved parliament last week and called early polls, for which a date has yet to be set but which are already facing a boycott by the powerful Islamist opposition.