The Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Abdel Raouf al-Rawabdeh,...

The Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Abdel Raouf al-Rawabdeh, during a closed-door meeting at the end of September, approved a recommendation by the Justice Ministry to abolish Art. 340 of the Penal Code. Campaigns to remove Art. 340 were getting more public attention in the kingdom where dozens of young women were killed by their husbands, brothers or fathers in the name of honor. Human rights activists have garnered at least 8,000 signatures during the first months of a national campaign to abolish the article, which they said seriously discriminated against the rights of women. If Art. 340 is finally eliminated, alleged honor killers might face death sentences.