AMMAN - The government on Saturday pledged to protect freedom of expression as long as it is carried out with responsibility and respect of the law.

Officials warned that no protest will be allowed to disrupt public life or harm people’s interests, advising those who plan to stage demonstrations to select places away from vital intersections and marketplaces.

Meanwhile, opposition parties, reformists and the March 24 Youth Movement on Saturday called for the resignation of the government, the dissolution of the Lower House and the leadership of the security forces, holding them responsible for the assault against protesters on Interior Ministry Circle Friday night.

“Freedom of expression is a right guaranteed by the Constitution for all citizens and the government and security agencies have been acting accordingly for the past 12 months,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Saad Hayel Srour said yesterday at a press conference.

Srour reiterated that the violent clashes that erupted between a pro-government group and protesters was a “black mark” in the country’s freedom record. However, he stressed, “it will not stop the government from carrying on with its reform efforts and protecting public freedoms”.

The minister said all related issues should be solved over the negotiating table rather than in the street.

More than 150 people, including police personnel, were injured after demonstrators calling for political reform and measures to combat corruption came under attack by government loyalists who assaulted them with stones and sticks.

The minister said authorities launched an investigation after the incident to identify the reasons and those who took part in the riots, adding that 21 people have been arrested so far and referred to the judiciary.

“Nearly 83 police staff and 77 civilians were injured and treated at public hospitals because of the violent behaviour of the demonstrators. All of them were discharged except eight civilians and 17 policemen,” said Public Security Department (PSD) Director Major General Hussein Majali, who took part in the press conference.

Majali stressed that the police had to take control and restore order and discipline after citizens’ safety was jeopardised, adding that the police had no intention of removing the tents set up by the demonstrators.

One man died at the site of the clashes, with a forensic report attributing the death to a heart attack, while his relatives blamed the death on police brutality.

On Saturday, The Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamists-dominated professional associations and the March 24 Youth Movement, which organised the sit-in, held separate press conferences condemning the police action and held the government fully responsible for the escalation.

During a press conference, the professional associations announced their withdrawal from the National Dialogue Committee and joined hands with the March 24 movement, which brings together Islamists and leftists, supported by opposition figures.

Moreover, the Islamists said they would not join dialogue with the government, saying that the movement had several demands to join but they were not met.

Their demands were forming the dialogue committee under a Royal Decree and including amendments to the Constitution on the agenda of the committee’s discussions. The second demand was met, but the Islamists insisted on all or nothing.

The Islamists, who the government accused of orchestrating the sit-in that witnessed the violence, demanded that the government resign and the Gendarmerie Forces be dismantled, along with the restructuring of all security services.

In addition, the March 24 movement said they will continue to carry out an open-ended sit-in, but stopped short of giving more details on the date and the place where it will be held.

On Friday, Srour, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Taher Odwan and Majali held a joint press conference following the incident.

“We contacted several figures, whom we believed had a connection to the protesters and tried to convince them to talk the demonstrators out of the protest but they insisted that they had no control over the demonstrators,” Srour said at the press conference, adding that the country’s security and stability is the responsibility of all citizens and not exclusive to a certain group.

Odwan for his part insisted that the government had nothing to do with what happened and is against all forms of violence, reiterating that the government is keen to see all citizens express their opinions freely and will stand firm against whoever tampers with the public safety.

Majali said the duty of police is to protect public and private properties and to ensure the safety of citizens, adding that the PSD will not hesitate to take measures to prevent any party from messing with the security and stability of the state or disturb public life.

Taken from: www.jordantimes.com