Sunday, December 26, 2010

Jordan establishes 5-star jail for VIPs


The name of Salhoub Heights is no longer connected to one of the most beautiful forests in Jordan as the establishment of a ‘five-star’ prison changed the landscape of the natural reserve.

The town of Salhoub, north of the capital Amman, is now home to a ‘luxurious’ prison facility that overlooks one of the most famous pine forests now threatened with extinction.
The prison, which houses 60 inmates, was built exclusively for officials, businessmen, and public figures sentenced to jail on criminal or ethical charges.
The Salhoub prison made headlines when it received several famous figures that were found guilty by the State Security Court in the Jordan Petroleum Refinery corruption case. The newcomers included three former officials and a businessman; all were charged with bribery and abuse of power and public office.

The government decided to allocate the separate facility for public figures to protect them from possible life-threatening clashes with ordinary inmates in general prisons facilities.

The decision came especially after the head of the General Intelligence Department, Samih al- Battikhi, was attacked in a prison by inmates several times. He was sentenced to eight years in jail on corruption and bank fraud charges and was sent to the Swaqa central prison, but after subject to attacks he was put in a separate cell.

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