JORDAN: Torture of prisoners rife, say rights groups

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http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/971e131b3390860938e0b0ca4e2c5b93.htm

AMMAN, 14 May (IRIN) - The torture of detainees is a routine phenomenon in the kingdom, say human rights activists, who called on the authorities to curtail such practices.

"Detainees are denied access to lawyers and are referred to State Security courts after being forced to confess," said Arab Organisation for Human Rights President Hani Dahleh. "This is a flagrant violation of Jordan's commitment to the UN Agreement on Torture."

Dahleh went on to say that complaints of torture and abuse were "on the rise", adding that Islamist activists were usually the ones to suffer most from torture and abuse while in detention. snip

Earlier this year, authorities hanged two men, a Jordanian and a Libyan, after they were found guilty of assassinating an American diplomat in Amman in 2002. Before their executions, both men said their confessions had been taken by force.

Jordanian officials continue to deny abusing prisoners.