This 66-page report documents the arbitrary arrest and abusive treatment of detainees held at the General Intelligence Department's (GID) central detention facility in Amman. The report finds that there is no clear basis in Jordanian law for the GID's law enforcement role;; and that detainees cannot seek an independent judicial review of the grounds for arrest and continued detention.

Freedom of expression and press freedom are essential conditions for the conduct of free and fair elections. But in the pre-election period;; Jordanian authorities have used the laws in force;; and other means such as threats and intimidation by internal security forces and government officials;; to restrict free expression;; including press freedom;; in violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR);; which Jordan has ratified. This report documents a series of actions taken by the government to tame the print media -- including the temporary closure of thirteen weekly newspapers in September -- and intimidate political critics into silence. Journalists and editors told Human Rights Watch that they have followed a stricter regime of self-censorship since the amendments to the press law were implemented in May 1997;; for fear of being subjected to heavy financial penalties mandated under the new law. In addition;; students;; writers;; and researchers have faced a variety of sanctions -- ranging from detention;; criminal prosecution;; and imprisonment to harassment;; job loss;; and blacklisting -- because they expressed views on political subjects that the government preferred remain off-limits. Such measures have created an atmosphere in which the right to free expression is perceived by many in Jordan as under siege.

This report was jointly prepared by the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JOHUD);; the Jordan Hashemite Fund for Human development/Regional Economic Empowerment of Women Project (REEWP) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The report discusses the right to inheritance and debates a number of issues including the provisions concerning women's rights to inheritance in Islam;; the legal framework of the women's rights to inheritance in Jordan;; the guarantees of these rights and finally the reality of the women's right to inheritance in Jordan. The report concludes with recommendations.