Senate Approves General Pardon Law for 2024

Amman: The Senate greenlit the 2024 General Pardon Law in a session chaired by Speaker Faisal Fayez and attended by Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh, clearing criminal and misdemeanor records up to March 19th and absolving individuals of fines and fees tied to their crimes while allowing civil obligations to proceed. The proposed legislation omits 38 offenses, notably those related to state security, terrorism, weapons, explosives, drugs, and various forms of violence, fraud, and criminal activity. This includes crimes against public authority, forgery, assault, theft, arson, espionage, economic crimes, slavery, human trafficking, and money laundering, among others. Additionally, it exempts individuals from fines related to income, sales, and customs taxes. The Senate also endorsed the amended Queen Alia International Airport agreement, which stretched its duration to 2037. The extension resolves financial disputes and mandates expansion efforts. Nancy Namrouqa, the Minister of State for Legal Affairs, clar ified that the extension of the agreement was part of a settlement. In this settlement, the investor relinquished financial claims worth millions of Jordanian dinars against the government due to its breach of the agreement regarding civil aviation fees and the imposition of an increased departure tax. Additionally, the settlement involved the investor's commitment to undertake expansion projects. Source: Jordan News Agency