Lower House passes amendments to Penal Code

AMMAN — The Lower House on Wednesday passed amendments to the Jordanian Penal Code No. 16 of 1960.

The lawmakers approved 10 articles out of the draft amendments to the Penal Code's 40 articles, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The bill approved the principle of “alternative penalties”, in which the judge shall implement one or more alternatives to deprivation-of-liberty penalties (for non-repeaters), based on a social status report, under the supervision of the Justice Ministry. 

The alternatives include community service (40-100 hours), enrolment in a behavioural rehabilitation programme, forms of electronic surveillance for one month to a year, as well as denied access to certain places for one month to a year. 

The law also stipulates the penalty of temporary imprisonment with hard labour for all those involved in violations of government obligations and contracts, with the imprisonment sentence to be no less than five years in cases that the contacts are related to defence and security matters.