Guarantees for Questioning the Accused in the Jordanian Criminal Procedures

Abstract

The right to defence is guaranteed by the Constitution. Since the Criminal Procedures Law mandates that the Public Prosecutor inform the defendant before proceeding with the interrogation, he has the right to consult with an attorney. If the defendant cannot afford an attorney, especially in certain cases involving the jurisdiction of the Great Criminal Court for offenses carrying the death penalty or a sentence of more than five years in prison, he is provided with one at public expense. Article 112 of the Jordanian Criminal Procedures Law stipulates that the Public Prosecutor must begin the interrogation if he has a summons or warrant within twenty-four hours. This is one of the most significant outcomes. However, the Jordanian lawmaker did not specify how much time the Public Prosecutor spent questioning the defendant. One of the most essential recommendations is that I hope the interrogation of the defendant does not exceed three consecutive hours, as prolonged interrogation leads to the defendant's exhaustion, which some legal systems view as a form of moral coercion.