Jordan: CAT scrutinizes the effectiveness of safeguards against torture and the use of administrative detention

The country rapporteurs were Mr. Claude Heller and Mr. Bakhtiyar Tuzmukhamedov.

The country delegation was led by H.E. Ms. Saja Majali, Director of the Human Rights Directorate – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.

Main issues discussed

The Committee Against Torture criticized the classification of torture as a minor offense with inadequate penalties and recommended increasing sentences by at least three years to reflect the gravity of the crime.

The Committee emphasized the need to guarantee key legal safeguards for detainees, including access to legal counsel, independent medical examinations, and prompt communication with relatives regarding their whereabouts. It expressed alarm over widespread use of administrative detention, particularly against asylum seekers, political opponents, human rights defenders, and journalists. Detention conditions were also criticized, with facilities reportedly exceeding capacity by over 6,000 detainees.

The Committee called on Jordan to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT), emphasizing the importance of independent monitoring mechanisms, and accept the competence under Article 22 of the UN Convention Against Torture. It also raised concerns about the broad definition of terrorism under Jordan’s Anti-Terrorism Law and the use of the 2023 Cybercrimes Law to suppress dissent, particularly targeting journalists and human rights defenders.

Human trafficking and the abuse of migrant workers were highlighted as urgent issues, including the ability of employers to cancel workers’ visas, and the revocation of citizenship for persons of Palestinian origin. The Committee also questioned the adherence of Jordan to non-refoulement principles and criticized the role of the Arab Interior Ministers Council (AIMC) in extradition cases.

Finally, the Committee urged Jordan to strengthen protections against gender-based violence and o stop the practicce of "protective" administrative detention of victims of domestic abuse. Regarding children deprived of liberty, the experts expressed alarm at the minimum age of criminal liability—set at 12 years—and emphasized the need to guarantee key legal safeguards for juveniles and to implement restorative justice mechanisms. It called for comprehensive legislative reforms and stronger enforcement mechanisms to protect vulnerable groups.

The CAT’s recommendations are available here.

Follow-up Recommendations:

The CAT outlined specific recommendations for Jordan, requesting the State party to provide information by 22 November 2025 on the implementation of recommendations regarding:

• The adoption of a comprehensive definition of torture, the inclusion of proportionate penalties and the removal of the statute of limitation for acts of torture.

• The respect of fundamental legal safeguards.

• The transfer of special courts’ jurisdiction to try members of the Public Security Directorate to ordinary courts.

• The prohibition of coerced confessions in practice.

Watch here (part one and part two) of the dialogue with the CAT.

Read our alternative report to the CAT (in English).