JORDAN. COURT REVOKES DEATH SENTENCE IN CHILD RAPE CASE

Jordan’s Court of Cassation repealed the death sentence against a 24-year-old man, who was convicted by the Criminal Court of raping an 8-year-old girl in Irbid in 2002, after her family dropped charges against him.
Instead, Hashim A., a construction worker, will spend the rest of his life in prison for the rape of the victim, whose name could not be published because of her age, in a deserted area on March 5, the Cassation Court ruled. In its verdict, the higher court said it decided to commute the death penalty passed against Hashim A. in March 2003 because “the victim’s father dropped charges against the defendant after the Criminal Court verdict was issued and the case was being reviewed by the higher court.”