Ammon News - AMMAN The Lower House of Parliament on Sunday passed the anti-corruption law after approving some amendments and referred other bills to the legislature's committees.

In a session held under Speaker Faisal Fayez, lawmakers rescinded a key article which they considered an infringement of press liberties. It stipulates a punishment of up to one year in prison and a fine not exceeding JD5,000 for charges of defamation, slander or character assassination when publicly accusing someone of corruption without a valid reason.

The legislation also mandates the Anti-Corruption Commission to recover funds both from inside and outside the country and to have a bigger say in abuse of office cases, including referring them to judicial authorities.

But lawmakers denied the anti-corruption body the right to remand in custody for seven days people accused of corruption under the original law, arguing that the article would infringe upon the judiciary's powers.

At the outset of the session, attended by Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit and cabinet ministers, the House referred to its administrative committee the municipalities bill that was returned to the legislature by the Senate after amending some provisions of the bill.

It also sent back to the legal committee the draft general amnesty law which the senate returned to the house after changing some articles, including pardon for premeditated murder regardless dropping charges or a settlement between the victim and the murderer.

* Petra