Protesters Beaten in Jordan Capital as Calls for Reform Continue

Seventh Straight Friday of Protests Met With Beatings

by Jason Ditz, February 18, 2011

Hundreds of pro-government protesters took to the streets of Amman, Jordan today with clubs, and savagely beat the protesters who have been rallying every Friday this year to demand political reforms.

This week was the seventh consecutive Friday for the Jordanian protesters, and the most organized violence we saw with a number of people repotedly wounded in the attacks. Witnesses say the police stood by while the beatings went on.

The protests in Jordan saw the King sack his entire government on February 1, appointing former Prime Minister Bakhit as the “new” reformist prime minister, which sparked all the more anger because his previous administration’s efforts at reform failed miserably.

The overall theme amongst the protests is a demand that they be allowed to elect their prime minister and their senators. Currently the king appoints every cabinet position and all senators, while voters only get to select members of the relatively powerless lower house of parliament.

Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz