Police on Sunday ordered six Jordanian activists back to Amman as they were driving to southern Jordan to join a 10-day anti-Israeli sit-in by Islamists, some of them told AFP.
"The police pursued us as we were heading for Ma'an and forced our cars to a halt," vice-president of the Arab association of human rights Akram Kreishan told AFP.
"They put their guns against the heads of three of us and forced us to go back" to Amman, Kreishan said.
Another member of the group, Sami Abu Hlaleh, told AFP the police escorted the six activists back to Amman where they were led to Governor Tal'at al-Nawaysseh, who made it clear to the group they would not be allowed to go to Ma'an.
"No reason was given for this ban," Abu Hlaleh said.
The other activists were identified as lawyer Naim Madani, who heads a commission on human rights for the professional unions, dentist Hisham Bustani, a member of that commission, university professor Ibrahim Allush and journalist Muwafaq Mahadin.
Hundreds of Islamists have been holding a sit-in outside the courthouse in Ma'an since December 10 to demand the release of four people detained by the authorities following anti-Israeli protests earlier this year.
The protesters belong to the so-called Popular and Islamic Forces in Ma'an, 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of Amman, and have repeatedly said they will continue until their demands are met, including a halt to relations with Israel.
Jordan was gripped by many anti-Israeli protests after the outbreak of the Palestinian uprising, or Intifada, in September. Several Jordanians were rounded up for questioning after some of the demonstrations became violent but most of them were subsequently released.
The authorities have since banned protests in the kingdom but have nevertheless licensed a few demonstrations -- AMMAN (AFP)
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