HRW Urges Jordan to Free Outspoken ex-MP

Human Rights Watch on Tuesday urged Jordan to drop criminal charges against an outspoken former lawmaker who called for a revolt in the kingdom.

The criminal charges against Ahmed Abbadi, "who has peacefully advocated making Jordan a republic violate freedom of expression and should be dropped immediately," the New York-based rights watchdog said in a statement.

Abbadi, a controversial MP who served twice in parliament from 1989 to 1993 and from 1997 to 2001, was arrested earlier this month after military prosecutors charged him with incitement against the regime for urging a revolt during a protest for military retirees in January.

Facing 15 years in prison if convicted, Abbadi has said on a YouTube video that Jordan "will turn into a republic in two years," and that "the country should be freed from the Hashemite monarchy because it is ruling against the people's will."

In 2007, he was sentenced to two years in jail for allegedly posting on the Internet a letter he wrote to U.S. Senate majority leader Harry Reid, branding the regime of King Abdullah II as "corrupt" and making allegations of human rights abuse.

HRW meanwhile said an unidentified assailant stabbed Inas Musallam, a student and political activist, "apparently in response to an article she wrote that was critical of a royal prince."

"Official prosecutions for peaceful expression of political views create a climate of intolerance, in which people may think it’s ok to assault someone who writes something they don’t like," said Christoph Wilcke, senior Middle East researcher at HRW."

"The prosecutor should drop charges against Abbadi and instead focus on finding Musallam’s attacker."

Jordanians have been protesting since January last year, demanding sweeping reforms and an end to corruption.