clear

Creating new perspectives since 2009

Jordan interior, justice ministers told to step down for breaching covid measures 

March 1, 2021 at 7:35 am

Jordanian King Abdullah II at the European Parliament in France on 15 January 2020 [FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP/Getty Images]

Jordan’s King Abdullah II yesterday accepted the resignation of the interior and justice ministers for violating coronavirus measures.

The move came after Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh asked Interior Minister Samir Al-Mobaideen and Justice Minister Bassam Al-Talhouni to resign for violating preventive measures to combat the pandemic.

Local media said the two ministers had attended a ceremony where the number of attendees exceeded the maximum number allowed under covid restrictions.

According to Jordan’s Royal Court, King Abdullah assigned Local Administration Minister Tawfiq Krishan to administer the Interior Ministry and State Secretary for Legal Affairs Ahmed Ziyadat to run the Justice Ministry.

There was no comment from the resigned ministers.

Jordan introduced several measures over the past months aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19, including partial curfews and a limitation on gatherings.

The kingdom has so far confirmed 386,496 virus infections, including 4,675 fatalities.

Coronavirus cases, deaths rise in Arab countries