Hundreds of Jordanian women have marched in Abdun District in western Amman Sunday, appealing to the Qatari people to help free Jordanian journalist Firas al-Majali, who faces a death penalty by a Qatari court. Firas's mother urged the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad Bin-Jasim, to release her son, reaffirming that he is innocent and that charges against him were baseless.
Participants in the peaceful march demanded the release of Majali, adding that the latest Qatari ruling on him will impede promoting bilateral relations between the two states. On his part, the president of the Jordan Press Association, Nabil Ghishan, has urged the Arab Journalist Federation and international media organizations, as well as human rights bodies, to immediately intervene to stop the death sentence on Majali.
Jordan's Prime Minister Ali Abul-Ragheb said Saturday he was "surprised" at the death sentence passed by a Qatari court on Majali on alleged spy charges. "We are surprised at such a verdict and the government is pursuing closely the development in this case," Abul-Ragheb was quoted as saying by the official Petra news agency. (Albawaba.com)
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