Bani Rsheid claims Jordanian regime is exploiting events in Syria and Egypt to obstruct reform

Zaki Bani Rsheid, deputy leader of the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood, accused the political regime in Jordan of “using events in Syria and Egypt to restrict reform and the fight against corruption.”

Bani Rsheid told the Anadolu news agency, “the regime expects to use the turn of events in Syria in its favour”.

Bani Rsheid called on King Abdullah II to “pay attention and humility to the people’s demands and reforms that could return the country to the right path,” he added that it was “the only way, after the failure of previous administrations, to solve the problems of the kingdom.”

Bani Rsheid also called on the authorities to release political prisoners and to sit down with what he described as “the true representatives” to agree a reform program not governed by “external political agendas.”

Bani Rsheid described the Jordanian movement as “a sponge which absorbs shocks and stores for a while before being set off again,” pointing out that the movement intended to launch “new standards and structures”, though he refused to say when or how the movement would be restructured.

He also commented on recent reports that King Abdullah II intended to dissolve the 17th Jordanian House of Representatives, saying that the regime had already previously dissolved the 15th and 16th Houses and held early elections.

King Abdullah II has confirmed, prior to recent parliamentary elections, which were held in January, that the 17th Jordanian House of Representatives would complete the constitutional period of 4 years, and its government will be instituted for the same period, unlike previous councils.

A mass spectrum of the opposition, most notably the Islamic Action Front; the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, boycotted the parliamentary elections won by pro-government candidates; in protest of conducting the elections according to the one man- one- vote law. The boycotters said that the law echoed tribal and party votes, and made it difficult to nominate more than one candidate from the same party or the same clan in the same district.

The Jordanian security services recently arrested 4 activists from the Islamic Youth Movement, the youth wing of the Muslim Brotherhood (Thabet Assaf, Hisham AlHisah, Tariq Khader and Basem Al Rawabdeh) for having participated in events and protests against the government.The military court accused them of “trying to undermine the regime and carry out illegal terrorist acts.”