Jordan's Lower House Expels MP Osama Ajarmeh After Rioting, Police Clashes

 The Lower House of Parliament on Sunday voted to expel MP Osamah Ajarmeh following an emergency session to vote on a memo that was submitted by 109 deputies to oust him from the Chamber.

The emergency session was held following riots that occurred at the expelled MP’s hometown of Naour a day earlier, which resulted in the injury of four police officers.

“Four of our police officers who were present during the riots were injured and had to be rushed to hospitals for treatment,” Police Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi said.

Rioters reportedly set several vehicles on fire and fired live ammunition, Sartawi told The Jordan Times.

The session, which was also attended by several ministers, saw 108 out of the 119 MPs who attended the session voting in favour of expelling Ajarmeh, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Lower House Speaker Abdulmunim Oddat firmly denounced during the session what he described as “corrupt statements uttered by Ajarmeh against His Majesty King Abdullah”, Petra said.

“I hereby declare the Chamber’s refusal of any form of tampering with the prestige and status of the King, and any tampering with our social system, tribal and family harmony, and our social peace, which form the basis of the security and stability of our dear, proud and authentic Jordan,” Oddat said.

The House speaker said: “The unfortunate events that the country witnessed over the past few days increase our belief in the importance of enforcing the rule of law to maintain our national unity and gains, and defending the security and stability of our homeland under all circumstances.”

On May 27, the Chamber decided to freeze the membership of Ajarmeh for one year after he offended the House, its members and the internal regulations. 

The Lower House’s decision was made based on Ajarmeh’s remarks in a recent session, which the MPs considered insulting to the Lower House’s reputation, prestige and its members.

According to Article 90 of the Constitution, no one may be dismissed from the membership of either the Senate or the Lower House except by a decision issued by the House to which 

he/she is affiliated, with a two-thirds majority of the members who make up the House.

Article 86 of the Constitution also stipulates that no one may be suspended or tried from any of the two houses, unless the House to which he/she is affiliated issues a decision by an absolute majority that there is sufficient reason for his/her arrest or trial, or unless he/she was arrested in flagrante delicto.

Meanwhile, the government issued a statement on Sunday stressing that no one is above the law.

The Cabinet said that the Kingdom witnessed several incidents over the past few days that were “provocative and in clear violation of the law”, Petra reported.

Such violations, the Cabinet stressed “touch the core of our country’s principles, its constitutional foundations, and our inherited customs since the establishment of the state”.

The Cabinet stressed that the Ministry of Interior “will not tolerate illegal gatherings, events, pitching tents or any similar plots”.

“Any illegal activities will be dealt with the utmost firmness to enforce the law and prevent these dangerous inciting activities that could endanger the security of the country,” the Cabinet said.

This article has been adapted from its original source.