General news about King Abdullah, Queen Rania & Family 1: August 2009 - February 2012


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Thanks for the article but there is not one single quote from Rania condemning honour killings in it, she has spoken is a very weak fashion about them before but has never outrightly strongly condemned then. The article does not say either what actions Rania is taking personally to stop this practise and to be honest reads more like a bit of royal PR with style over substance as usual.

It's one thing saying it to the Western press where it sounds like something is being done and supporting women's groups does not make one single bit of difference as it is MEN who commit the crimes and as things stand, ANY woman is fair game. Many women are imprisoned as they are at risk of being killed in this way (for their own safety) and yet the would be attackers walk the streets free!

A strong message needs to be sent out followed by VERY strong enforcement as currently, most people who kill their women relatives like this are given a six month sentence at best, tht is if the crime is even investigated properly amd YES, this is INSIDE Jordan in Amman, not some dusty little village.

When Queen Rania and her husband change the law (and it CAN be done as he is absolute monarch) to enforce life prison sentences, when I hear Queen Rania stand up and loudly and clearly condemn honour killing in Arabic, in Jordan then I will be the first person to stand up and applaud her.

I lost two friends from school to this and a neighbour. It is a moral outrage in this day and age!

Ten years on the throne is long enough time to make a difference..


King Abdullah and Queen Rania, show us what you are made of and let's have real justice for women not lip service!
 
you've made some very intersting points yamamah.
10 years of rule and situation for some issues remaind the same,honour killings is an example.I undestand that Jordan is a very conservative community controlled by the clan and tribes,but I think both Rania and Abdullah could do better he is an absolute monarch so I assume he is in good position to do alot,and the way Rania talk in interview about some issues(honour killings,women situation...) in Jordan is abit irritating.
Rania is high a very high profile in her country so talking a little bit more about honour killings inside and not outside Jordan is better to do IMO,she usually wrote articles about anything and nothing so if she talk about that issue in these articles....articles in arabic for her ppl,also some videos in youtube or in national TV talking about it,that's would be great,if she really have a real influence in her community,I think ppl there will listen,that mentality will start to change.it's unacceptable that women in 21th century got killed cause they were talking to a stranger.:sad:
 
you've made some very intersting points yamamah.
10 years of rule and situation for some issues remaind the same,honour killings is an example.I undestand that Jordan is a very conservative community controlled by the clan and tribes,but I think both Rania and Abdullah could do better he is an absolute monarch so I assume he is in good position to do alot,and the way Rania talk in interview about some issues(honour killings,women situation...) in Jordan is abit irritating.
Rania is high a very high profile in her country so talking a little bit more about honour killings inside and not outside Jordan is better to do IMO,she usually wrote articles about anything and nothing so if she talk about that issue in these articles....articles in arabic for her ppl,also some videos in youtube or in national TV talking about it,that's would be great,if she really have a real influence in her community,I think ppl there will listen,that mentality will start to change.it's unacceptable that women in 21th century got killed cause they were talking to a stranger.:sad:

You are right Shrifia, Arabic Youtube videos/articles/speeches in Arab countries would be an amazing thing for her to do against honour killing. These are the places where it is perpetrated, not to European people in the Western press (although we know that immigrants from various places do take this problem to Europe with them and honour killing is not confined geographically due to mobility). It isn't Europeans she needs to talk to about his but her fellow Arabs (and yes, we know it in not just confined to Arab people but Asian cultures and others).

But as an Arab queen with a visible profile across the Arab world, I would ask her to raise the issue and put it into the Arabic public arena and campaign in a highly visible way against these killings that would do more good than everything she has done so far put together.

To be fair, the article was written by a journalist who has regurgitated al ot of this story before but how refreshing it would be to open an Arabic newspaper or watch the Arabic satellite channels and see Queen Rania openly and very strongly condemning this crime and showing through law changes and enforcement that Jordan is leading the way..

I would clap the loudest and the longest for her if I saw her doing this :flowers:
 
You make an interesting point. Very true that the issue of Queen Rania fighting against it isnt written on many of the arabic leading papers. Its a pitty that her voice isnt heard in teh region since many of the videos so far are in english. She could do an arabic youtube video or a short TV shot like she has done in the past which was shown an MBC4 (which has a big amount of viewers across the region).
 
You can see in recent days (at least) some baby steps in the right direction in Jordan concerning "honor crimes": There are more of these killers who are sentenced by the courts for premeditated murder and not for a "crime of passion" - with harder sentences than just 6 months.
The most recent case:

Man sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for killing daughter

Jordan Times
 
You can see in recent days (at least) some baby steps in the right direction in Jordan concerning "honor crimes": There are more of these killers who are sentenced by the courts for premeditated murder and not for a "crime of passion" - with harder sentences than just 6 months.
The most recent case:

Man sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for killing daughter

Jordan Times


He won't serve 15 years though! Baby steps aren't enough when we are at the end of the first decade of the new millennium which is why Abdullah and Rania need to do much more INSIDE Jordan and out in the Arab world - publicly.

You will note also that his sentence will be reviewed by the court of cassation which can and very often does, overturn the sentencing of the lower courts. This is where it falls down as this is usually the stage where the sentence is reduced to something ridiculous so the story might READ like something strict is being one but the reality is very different.
 
He won't serve 15 years though! Baby steps aren't enough when we are at the end of the first decade of the new millennium which is why Abdullah and Rania need to do much more INSIDE Jordan and out in the Arab world - publicly.

You will note also that his sentence will be reviewed by the court of cassation which can and very often does, overturn the sentencing of the lower courts. This is where it falls down as this is usually the stage where the sentence is reduced to something ridiculous so the story might READ like something strict is being one but the reality is very different.


15 years is nothing for the murder of a child. Sentences for crimes against children like abuse are ridiculous in many countries, that's the sadest thing. In Jordan I think the problem is not only to have more strict sentences only, their problem I suppose it is the lack of education because only to set stricter sentences to men who are ''educated'' that killing your woman/daughter is a right you have and they see it a passion crime it is difficult to solve this problem only with stricter sentences, I mean, because this man's mind can't see why is bad to kill his daughter even if he stay in prison all life, only solution is education, it sounds common but I think this is it. We know that stricter sentences may satisfy us who we are shocked by hearing these crimes but indeed they don't seem to prevent these people from killing in every country not only in Jordan or in Greece etc. That's also so sad. I also must say that prisons are not so big to ''host'' many people for much time, that's why in many countries and especially in poorest countries sentences are not so strict.
 
I agree with you Godiva but what is even sadder is that it is the appeal court of so called educated people who reduce the sentences! They need to have the message sent out by the monarch, the parliament, the police, the judiciary that this is WRONG and one way of doing this is to increase and enforce the sentences and at that would be a start so there is a deterrent in place because at present, nine times out of ten there is not. These men know they will get away with it and that is why it is common. The official figures do not represent the true extent. In the West, most prison regimes are more like a holiday camp especially since the convention on human rights where often in Europe, it seems like the criminal has more rights than the victim and in the UK at least, life sentences are only about 12 years on average and the prisoners get time off for good behaviour.

If Queen Rania campaigned in as high profile way in the Arab world as she does for things in the West, then I would feel proud of her but she does very little by way of education videos in Arabic on any subject (health/education/womens rights) and certainly does not present on issues to the Arab nations like she does to the West. She is the most high profile woman in the Arab world, her husband is a king and they have the 'power' to make a difference in public opinion and law
 
You can see in recent days (at least) some baby steps in the right direction in Jordan concerning "honor crimes": There are more of these killers who are sentenced by the courts for premeditated murder and not for a "crime of passion" - with harder sentences than just 6 months.
The most recent case:

Man sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for killing daughter

Jordan Times
in first initial phase of the trial yes he might get 15,but in the end he lives the jail as early as possible,you can see how it really work for those killers in trials here with a report on the last victim this last 5 or 6 December:
Jordanian man kills pregnant sister in "honor killing"
The December 6 Jordan Times reports that a 36-year-old man stabbed to death his married sister, who was nine months pregnant He stalked her and stabbed her seven times, killing her and her unborn son. He then promptly gave the knife to the police, explaining that it was an honor killing. He displayed neither shame for his crime nor fear of the legal consequences
...On this subject, the Telegraph has a piece about Jordan's Queen Rania's public support for the government's efforts to toughen the laws against honor killings. (The reforms don't go so far as to treat honor killings just like other murders, but progress is progress.) However, conservative forces in parliament are holding back reform. Sheikh Hamza Mansour, the leader of the Islamic Action Front, complained: "It's as if the government is giving up our personality to turn us into a Westernised society."..Link

I also think that strict sentences is not enough to fight honor crimes,it will be a good and a strong sign to change these silly laws and its needded...its nacceptable anymore that a killer go to jail for 6 month.soparliament or not it's time to take a brave decision and change it...
still that the big problem here is the mentalities and how these men look to women in their community(a citizen of second rank:ermm:) yes education is good tools I know that Rania is very involved with the education causes so its will be good to know what she propose here,as I said she is very high profile and I find it very stange she don't talk that much about the issue,and again that would be good if she did it in arabic and for arabic media not only in western media,she is very active woman she is a very good speaker so it's time to use all this for a forgotten cause in Queen and King agenda.
 
Russell Peters Meets with HM King Abdullah II of Jordan

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Later that evening, Peters returned to the palace with brother and Manager, Clayton Peters and sister-in-law Emma Wyatt for a dinner with King Abdullah and Queen Rania... - Article
 
Jordan: Democratic Hope of the Middle East or Another Monarchy?

...Queen Rania al-Abdullah has appeared on the covers of many American magazines, including Vanity Fair. King Abdullah has signed a number of free trade agreements with Western states. Jordan... - Full Article
 
This is absolutely shocking and scary. I'm so glad everything went well and King Abdullah is safe. He has so much to offer!

This is the second time during summer holidays of 2000 Al Qaeda tried kill King and Queen.
 
Second time?? I know nothing about the 2000 incident. Do you remember what happened and where? I would like to hear that.
 
Second time?? I know nothing about the 2000 incident. Do you remember what happened and where? I would like to hear that.

During their summer holidays in the Mediterranean Al Qaeda tried to blow up their yatch with a boat loaded with explosives. But the Secret Service knew the plans and all royal family returned to Amman (Queen was pregnant).
 
This is interesting. I guess they were somewhere in France. In Sardinia maybe. They go there almost every summer, right?

And you're right. Rania gave birth to Salma in 2000... So, she was pregnant! A true nightmare!
 
Their palace in Aqaba was also one of the possible targets of rocket attacks in 2005, also linked to al-Qaeda.
 
Their palace in Aqaba was also one of the possible targets of rocket attacks in 2005, also linked to al-Qaeda.

So true. But then, if I remember rightly, Prince Hashem served as Regent. The King and Queen were not in Jordan. Or was it another time? :rolleyes:
 
This is interesting. I guess they were somewhere in France. In Sardinia maybe. They go there almost every summer, right?

And you're right. Rania gave birth to Salma in 2000... So, she was pregnant! A true nightmare!


No they not visit all years Sardinia during holidays. We don´t know where was the yatch because they returned to home quickly.
 
Rubbing shoulders with Mideast royalty

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We were driven to the Royal Palace, where we had an audience with his majesty, King Abdullah II and Queen Rania. The session was formal, with royal photographers and a film crew documenting the entire session. Interestingly, our meeting made the front page of the Jordan Times the next morning. The king and queen were gracious and spent almost an hour with us. Like the Palestinian Authority prime minister, the king suggested that time was critical and the burden rested upon Israel to take the next major step in the peace process.

The king suggested that finding a solution to Palestinian issues was the essential first step in the formation of a strong moderate voice in the Arab world.
The king also discussed the deterioration of relations with Israel and asked our group to speak with both Israeli and American officials about their desire for peace in the region and the urgency with which solutions must be found. The king also spoke about Jordan's need for water and the vision of a project involving many desalination plants as one joint project that might benefit both Jordan and Israel.

It was interesting to watch as Queen Rania voiced her opinions as well, with the king repeatedly deferring to the queen to allow her to share her thoughts... - Article
 
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