Jordanian Islamists demand prisoners' release

The Islamic Action Front in Jordan has called on the country’s prime minister to release four of its members who are on hunger strike in prison, saying his government is responsible for their deteriorating health. The party, which is the political arm of the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood, said continuing to hold the detainees for ?political reasons and endangering their lives was “not in line with our Jordanian values and ?traditions.?. Four Islamist activists are in prison in Jordan on charges of inciting the overthrow of the Jordanian government, and planning terrorist attacks. In a letter to Jordanian premier Dr Abdullah al ?Nassour, Secretary General of the Islamic Action Front Hamza Mansour said: “The detainees for who are peacefully calling for reform, including four ?who are on hunger strike, are in deteriorating health as a result of the hunger strike ?and the illegal treatment they are receiving.”? Mansour also expressed his dismay at the prisoners being transferred to hospital under armed guard, with their hands cuffed and heads covered.? The Secretary General also wrote to the Commissioner General for Human Rights in Jordan, Dr Moussa Breizat, asking him to intervene in light of the ? prisoners’ poor health. The Islamist leader said: “We have addressed the government several times in order to release them, but it insisted ?on referring them to the State Security Court, which is not qualified to look at civilian cases, especially ? cases related to freedom of expression.”? Mansour sent a third note to the Jordan Medical Association Hashem Abu Hassan, inviting ?him to form a medical committee to visit the detainees and check their condition.? Nidal al-Hissa, brother of activist Hisham al-Hissa, confirmed that the decline in the hunger strikers’ health, especially Tarek Khadr ?and Bassem al-Rawabda, who were transferred to hospital for treatment.?