Definitive Report - Report No 149, November 1975

Case No 797 (Jordan) - Complaint date: 15-JUL-74 - Closed

1. 23. The complaint from the world Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) was submitted in a communication dated 15 July 1974; that of the General Federation of Jordan Trade Unions (Damascus) in a letter dated 20 July 1974. The Government submitted its comments in a communication of 13 October 1974.
2. 24. Jordan has not ratified the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), but it has ratified the Right to organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98).

A. A. The complainants' allegations

1. 25. The WFTU states in its communication of 15 July 1974 that the Jordanian authorities arrested, early in July, Mohammad Kassem, Secretary of the Amman Mechanics' Union, and Abdul Kader Khattab, a member of the Executive Bureau of the Amman Bank Employees' Union, following a complaint lodged by them against the Minister of Labour for having struck out their names from the electoral list on the occasion of the recent trade union elections. The WFTU adds that this is the second time that these trade unionists find themselves in jail because of their trade union activities.
2. 26. In its reply, the Government states that the persons mentioned are not detained and even indicates how to communicate with them.

B. B. The Committee's conclusions

1. 27. The Committee notes that, according to the WFTU, Mohammad Kassem and Abdul Kader Khattab have been imprisoned for the second time further to a complaint lodged against the Minister of Labour for having struck out their names from the electoral list on the occasion of the recent trade union elections. In this connection, the Committee recalls information submitted to it in respect of Cases Nos. 668 and 730, also concerning Jordan, by the representative of the Director-General, who visited Jordan from 23 April to 5 May 1974 in accordance with the direct contacts procedure. The latter's report indicated in particular that the names of three candidates which had been struck off the electoral lists had been communicated to him. They were Mohammad Kassem, Abu Shamaa and Abdul Kader Khattab. The parties concerned had referred their cases to the courts and the matter was sub judice.
2. 28. The representative of the Director-General also reported that one of these trade unionists, Abdul Kader Khattab, had been arrested during his stay in Jordan. He was accused of distributing leaflets against the regime, which was a crime punishable with up to 15 years' imprisonment. However, it was expected that he would be released after some time, without being brought to trial.
3. 29. The Committee notes that the third trade unionist whose name had been struck off the electoral list, Mr. Abu Shamaa, is not amongst the persons who, according to the complainants, is supposed to have been arrested. In any case, according to the Government, the trade unionists mentioned in the complaint are not detained and it even provides information on how to communicate with them.

The Committee's recommendations

1. 30. In these circumstances, the Committee recommends the Governing Body to decide that the case calls for no further examination.