AMMAN -- The Lower House on Tuesday denied requests by two deputies to lift their immunity.
A total of 95 and 77 MPs voted against lifting the immunity of Tamam Riyati (Aqaba) and Mohammad Badri (Aqaba, 1st District) respectively at a Lower House evening session.
The two deputies had requested that their immunity be lifted to face legal lawsuits that had been filed against them before they were elected.
Riyati is facing a defamation lawsuit, while Badri is charged with immoral conduct.
The majority of the 150-strong House agreed that immunity is not the property of deputies for them to revoke whenever they see fit.
Deputy Mahmoud Kharabsheh said it was a precedent for the House's Legal Committee to accept requests from deputies to lift their immunity.
Several deputies argued that lifting a deputy's immunity would prevent him/her from exercising their freedom of speech.
Also during Tuesday's session, deputies resumed their deliberations over the draft illicit fortunes law.
They agreed not to keep its original name after arguing in a recent session for changing it to the draft illegal asset probing law.
© Jordan Times 2013
