Jordan: Jordanian writer disappeared by security forces

Mr Issam Tahar Al Uteibi, a well-known Jordanian writer and theologian, was disappeared on 17 September 2010 by officers of the Jordanian Central Intelligence Department in the Wadi Al Sir district of Amman, after being called in for questioning.

Al Uteibi has been consistently harassed by Jordanian security services for his political and religious views and was previously detained incommunicado for six years from 2002 to 2008, despite an order for his release by the Jordanian State Security Court in 2004.

Alkarama submitted his case to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) in 2007, and the WGAD adopted Opinion 18/2007 determining Al Uteibi's previous detention as arbitrary "in contravention of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)".

Under the current circumstances, the Jordanian authorities are acting in violation of their international obligations under the ICCPR and the Convention against Torture (CAT). As stipulated in the ICCPR, anyone arrested shall be informed of the reasons for their arrest and no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention.

Alkarama calls for the Jordanian authorities to immediately release Issam Mohamed Al Uteibi' or that he be charged and given a fair trial in a relevant court.

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