Country report and updates: Jordan

1 Conscription

conscription not enforced

Conscription was suspended in April 1992. [4]

Under the 1976 Conscription Law all men over 18 were liable for two years' military service. Legal provisions for reintroducing military service still apply, as the Conscription Law has not been officially repealed. [1]

There are provisions for compulsory military training for the People's Army, a 20,000 strong militia launched in 1987 to assist the regular armed forces. All men aged 19 to 40 are required to undergo militia training, but is not clear if this actually happens in practice. Women aged 19 to 40 may volunteer for militia training. [3] [8]

recruitment

No information available.

2 Conscientious objection

There is no known legal provision for conscientious objection.

3 Draft evasion and desertion

penalties

Evading military service duties for less than 21 days is punishable by two months' to two years' imprisonment, after which military service still has to be completed. [6]

Evading duties for longer than 21 days before military service has started, is punishable by up to three years' imprisonment, after which military service still has to be performed, plus a further three months' service for each year of imprisonment. [6]

Evading duties for longer than 24 days during military service is punishable by life imprisonment. [1]

practice

After conscription was abolished in April 1992 all serving conscripts were discharged. All those convicted for draft evasion and desertion were initially still liable to serve their prison sentences, but in November 1992 the King announced an amnesty for all draft evaders. [5] [6]

5 History

Before 1992 conscription was enforced selectively. Voluntary applications to perform military service were usually sufficient to achieve the requisite number of recruits. However, young men possessing certain special skills could be conscripted, as there was a shortage of technically qualified recruits among the voluntary applicants. The possibility of enforcing selective conscription was believed to be the main reason for passing the 1976 Conscription Law. Most of the conscripts were Palestinians whom the army could not induce to volunteer.

Jordanians living abroad could buy themselves out of military service for USD 6,000, according to a law passed in June 1990. [1] [6]

When conscription applied, the right to conscientious objection was not legally recognized and there were no provisions for substitute service. [2]

6 Annual statistics

The armed forces comprise 104,500 troops, which is about 2.22 percent of the population. [7]

Sources

[1] Brett, Derek 1994. Conscientious objection to military service. Quaker Peace and service, Geneva. [2] Amnesty International 1991. Conscientious objection to military service. AI, London. [3] 'Jordan to launch new citizen army', The Guardian, 23 July 1987. [4] UN Commission on Human Rights 1997. The question of conscientious objection to military service, report of the Secretary-General prepared pursuant to Commission resolution 1995/83. United Nations, Geneva. [5] Refugee Review Tribunal, N93/01204 - 22 June 1994. [6] Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1992. Ambtsbericht, 26 November 1992. BuiZa, Den Haag. [7] Institute for Strategic Studies 1997. Military Balance 1997/98. ISS, London. [8] DIRB, 14 December 1989.