Unrest in Jordan, protests carry on

New demonstrations took place throughout Jordan on Friday, as political parties rallied to tell the government: “We, Jordanians, are the red line”. The protests, aimed at demanding political reforms to stop corruption, also demanded the release of political prisoners, arrested in November for protesting against fuel price hike. Demonstrators chanted: “The people want to overthrow the government” and “Those who increased the prices want to burn the country.” Clashes erupted between pro-regime supporters and activists in the Jordanian capital. Security forces separated both sides and shut down the entrance to the al-Hussein Mosque in Amman, where the protest started. Hossam Zeiabat, a member of the Islamic Movement, stressed the necessity to achieve democratic reforms. Activist Mohamed el Harases urged the government to release political prisoners. On Friday, el-Karck governorate witnessed three demonstrations which mainly demanded the government leaders to step down. They also raised concerns regarding the integrity and fairness of the coming elections in Jordan. Other protests took place in the rest of the country, such as Faquou and el-Mazar. Organisers condemned the government policies and called for a boycott of the upcoming elections.