‘Jordanians widely disillusioned by justice system’

AMMAN — A local study on the perceptions on the justice sector in Jordan indicated that people are more content with religious rather than civil courts in the Kingdom.

The study, which comprised 1,700 individuals, also revealed that the number of women “seeking legal help was less than men”.

Published over the weekend, the survey was prepared by the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) in cooperation with Durrat Almanal for Training and Development and supported by the European Union.

It focused on court proceedings and function, as well as the importance of supporting human rights issues.

According to the study, only 24 per cent of the people surveyed resorted to courts to solve their legal problems, stressing the need to ensure the establishment of facilities that serve individuals with physical disabilities.

Around 80 per cent of those surveyed said they “believed wasta [favouritism] still exists in courts". 

Meanwhile, 49 per cent of the surveyed said that “they have no faith in the justice system’s capability to rehabilitate criminals”.

The study is part of the Justice System Support Project (JSSP) in Jordan which is being implemented by ARDD with the aim of developing the Kingdom's justice system and ensuring the application of the rule of law and human rights values, according to a statement by ARDD.

The JSSP also aims to stir public debate among relevant authorities to upgrade the justice system in Jordan and improve the public’s attitudes towards its effectiveness.