Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The Lower House Monday evening passed the general pardon draft law in a session chaired by Speaker Atef Tarawneh and attended by Prime Minister Omar Razaz and cabinet members.

Minister of State, Deputy Prime Minister, Rajai Al-Muasher, said that the government's bill was a "message of national reconciliation", which upholds the prestige of the state and the rule of law and defines the red lines for breach of public money, assault on civil servants as well as the crimes of slander, libel and defamation.

The lawmakers decided that the pardon includes the crimes of libel, slander and vilification in the Penal Code and Cybercrimes Law, threats and blackmail under articles 349-352 and 415 of the Penal Code and the provisions of articles 379, 455 and 456 of the Penal Code, as well as crimes contrary to the Water Authority and Electricity laws.

The pardon also includes crimes committed contrary to the laws of Residency and Foreigners Affairs and labor, fines for violation of the income tax, sales tax and customs laws, fines for traffic laws' violations and drug offenses under articles 7, 8 and 9 and chapters (B) and (C) of article 12 of the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances law, with the exception of articles 15-20 of the law.

The deputies agreed not to include in the pardon bill crimes against state security, societies of the evil and illegal societies, espionage crimes stipulated in Articles 14, 15 and 16 of the Law on the Protection of State Secrets and Documents and abuse of public office crimes, excluding Articles 170 and 176 of the Penal Code.

Articles 170 and 176 of the Penal Code deal with asking for and accepting of gifts, promises and benefits by employees and officials.