Like every Friday since over a year now protests go out in a lot of Jordanian cities demanding Reform and end of corruption, also demands of an elected government and a parliament that is representative of the people. This Friday went like any other, protest started in Downtown Amman right after Friday prayers, then protesters gathered and marched down the street which is named “King Talal Street”.
At the end of the protest and while everyone was going home thugs in coordination with police went after a leftist political activist who always leads chants Sohaib Assaf. They took advantage of him talking with a couple of his friend in an alley and started their attack. Police then came and arrested Sohaib instead of arresting those who attacked him which clearly shows that there’s coordination between the 2 sides. In the picture above you can see a thug grabbing Sohaib from the back while he was looking “Comfortably” at the police officer trying to spread them apart to make the arrest. There’s no attempt to arrest the thug who is considered an attacker at a peaceful protesters who didn’t even initiate the fight.
Sohaib’s friends tried to prevent the arrest but they got attack from thugs as well, with the help of police of course. This has been going on for long and their are many clues which support what I’m saying and many agree on this. The jordanian regime is doing it’s best to try and silence protesters from the youth movement and many others like the Jordanian communist party which sohaib belongs to. Now although i might not agree with some of the slogans the communist party chants but that doesn’t mean I’ll remain silent on the arrest of it’s members without any reason except that they have the right to protest peacefully and express their opinions. This shows how deep the problem in Jordan is. And what is more sickening is those who are supporting the arrests thinking that it will silence people.
Watch the video of the arrest captured by Alghad Newspaper:
Check out 165 pictures of the protest & arrest by photojournalist FARES KHALIFA
UPDATE: Sohaib Assad has been released on Bail a while ago. Here’s the confirmation, check here. It’s in Arabic.
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