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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Security forces on Friday arrested an activist during a pro-reform protest in downtown Amman calling for the release of political prisoners and blasting government policies for restricting public freedoms.

Security forces later on Friday released Suhaib Al Assaf, a political activist and member of the Jordanian Communist Party (JCP) after JCP Secretary General Munir Hamarneh posted bail for his release.

Assaf is reported to be suffering poor health conditions as a result of undergoing surgery last week.

Assaf reported that he suffered bruises as a result of the attack on him during the protest.

In a protest organized by a number of youth and popular pro-reform movements, dozens of activists marched from Al Husseini Mosque in downtown Amman in protest of the government's recent policies of arresting and detaining activists.

Organizers and eye-witnesses said that security forces attacked activist Suhaib Al Assaf, a member of the Jordanian Communist Party, and arrested him.

An altercation occurred between protesters and a group of self proclaimed loyalists who counter protested in the same area.

Meanwhile, Public Security Directorate (PSD) Spokesperson Lt. Col. Muhammad Khatib told Ammon News that detaining Al Assaf came as a result of his critical slogans, which violate the law, according to PSD's expression.

Protesters on Friday called on the government to release political prisoners. Over 17 activists were arrested in the past few weeks over slogans and chants deemed offensive to the King and the Jordanian regime.

Meanwhile, the Jordanian Communist Party issued a statement against the arrest of Al Assaf, a member of the party and pro-reform activist.

The statement criticized the government's policy of arresting activists, warning that such arrests amidst local and international denunciation "expresses the government's rejection of other opinions and a desperate attempt on its part to wave a thick stick in the face of popular and youth movements to terrorize its activists and dissuade the from continued struggle to achieve the just demands of the movement, including freedom, democracy, human dignity and social justice."

The statement stressed that the arrest of Al Assaf along with others will not stop the youth of nationalist and communist opposition parties from standing up against the crackdown on public freedoms, especially the right to demonstrate and freedom of expression.

The Jordanian Communist Party denounced the attacks on the activist prior to his arrest in front of media cameras and hundreds of witnesses, and called for the release of all political prisoners.


* Photo of Arrest of Activist Suhaib Assaf in downtown Amman September 21, 2012.