Jordanian Islamists call for the release of activists

Demonstrations broke out across Jordan on Friday Supporters of the Islamic Hirak group in Jordan took to the streets in several governorates in the country on Friday, calling for the release of Hirak members and the dissolution of the State Security Court, which they accuse of exercising martial law. Muslim Brotherhood leaders took part in rallies in the city of Irbid, 100km north of the capital Amman.
The protests were called by the Popular Committee for the Defence of Hirak Activists, and came as imprisoned members of the movement continued their hunger strike demanding their release.
Four members of Hirak are in prison facing charges of inciting the overthrow of the Jordanian government, and planning terrorist attacks.
Nidal al-Hissa, brother of activist Hisham al-Hissa, said the Popular Committee was calling on the State Security Court to release political prisoners and would submit its 18th request on Sunday after all its previous demands were refused.
Hissa urged rational people in power to work for the release the activists in order to save the prisoners on hunger strike, adding that one of the prisoners, activist Bassem al-Rowabeda, is suffering from deteriorating health.
Hundreds of people took part in a march in the Jordanian governorate of Irbid organised by the Coordinating Committee of the Northern Movement, expressing their anger at the imprisonment of Islamist activists and the killing of innocent people in Egypt and Syria.
In the town of Faqou in the governorate of Kerak, demonstrators showed their anger at the record of the Jordanian prime minister and his government.
Activist Yasser al-Zaydien said that the people raised their demands, but the king and the government ignored them, adding that the government had failed to achieve any progress in several areas.
Meanwhile, the Youth Reform Coalition organised a protest in front of the grand mosque in Maan province against rising prices, which they said was a deliberate ploy by the government to put pressure on the people. The demonstrators called for legal action to be taken against officials who have stolen the wealth of the country. The protesters praised what they saw as the determination of the Egyptian people to restore their dignity and freedom, and condemned the alleged use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people.