Administrative Detention in Jordan: Why Reform Matters

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What happens when a court orders someone’s release, yet they face administrative detention?

This question lies at the heart of an Amman Center for Human Rights Studies (ACHRS) report examining administrative detention in Jordan under the Crime Prevention Law No. 7 of 1954.

The study cites official figures recording 22,674 administrative detainees in 2025. Behind this number are pressing questions about personal liberty, the limits of administrative power and whether judicial decisions provide effective protection against continued detention.

Prepared by Obada AlWardat, Coordinator of ACHRS’s Justice and Rule of Law Unit, the report examines provisions that allow broad discretion over detention, financial guarantees and police supervision. It also highlights the detention of individuals after completing their sentences or following court orders for their release.

How do these practices affect constitutional rights and the presumption of innocence? What safeguards would make it easier to challenge detention? And why does the study recommend repealing the law alongside introducing specific legal protections?

The report explores these questions through an analysis of Jordanian legislation and international human rights standards, setting out recommendations to strengthen accountability, protect detainees’ rights and uphold judicial authority.