Social media users call for stiffer penalties against police attackers

AMMAN — Jordanians have taken to social media to express their outrage over the recent attacks on policemen, which resulted in the death of two and injury of another within the past two days. 

A policeman and an anti-narcotics agent have died in the line of duty, one on Monday while the other succumbed to wounds he sustained in an ambush Saturday.   

In a statement Monday, the Public Security Department announced that CID Warrant Officer Khaled Ahmad Bani Mefrej was shot and killed in Jabal Amman when his patrol responded to a situation where a person “acting suspiciously” was spotted in the area. 

The PSD also reported that Corporal Mohammad Atta Salaymeh from the Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) died of wounds he sustained in a shoot-out with drug dealers while on duty in an area in the south on Saturday.

“These incidents would not have happened if there was more firmness and stiffer punishment against anyone who breaks the law,” said Azizah Suleiman on Facebbok. 

Bassam Samaaneh, on the other hand, called for executing those who fire at policemen, saying that the government should enact “highly deterrent laws” to protect the safety of the country, especially from drug dealers.

Abu AlazzHomsi also expressed on Facbook his support for sentencing outlaws who attack security personnel to capital punishment.

“Imprisonment is not deterring anymore. Most of the wanted people have previously served jail sentences,” he said, adding that the government should also work for better social security to reduce the crime rate by increasing salaries.

MP Khalil Atiyyeh also called for sentencing those responsible for the death of the policemen to death. 

On Twitter, a hash tag was trending, mourning the death of the two policemen and calling for stiffer penalties against the assailants.