PROSECUTION
The government significantly increased law enforcement efforts to combat all forms of trafficking, including those involving the most vulnerable populations. The 2009 anti-human trafficking law prohibits all forms of sex and labor trafficking and prescribes penalties of six months’ to 10 years’ imprisonment for forced prostitution, child trafficking, and trafficking of women and girls; these penalties are sufficiently stringent, but not commensurate with those prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape. Penalties prescribed for labor trafficking offenses are not sufficiently stringent; offenses against adult male victims that do not involve aggravating circumstances are limited to a minimum of six months’ imprisonment and a fine. Jordan’s labor law assigns administrative penalties for labor violations committed against Jordanian or foreign workers, yet these penalties are not sufficiently stringent to deter the crime of human trafficking.The withholding of passports is a crime under Jordan’s passport law, which prescribes six months’ to three years’ imprisonment, as well as financial penalties.
The Public Security Directorate (PSD) and Ministry of Labor (MOL) joint anti-trafficking unit increased its investigations of potential trafficking cases. In 2014, the joint anti-trafficking unit reported investigating 311 potential trafficking cases and referred for prosecution 53 cases involving 91 male and 24 female alleged trafficking offenders; this was a substantial increase from the 24 investigations and 17 prosecutions in 2013. Ten of these cases involved sex trafficking, nine involved alleged forced labor violations, and 34 involved exploitation of domestic workers. In December 2014, the joint unit investigated and referred for prosecution six suspects for forcing a 17-year-old Syrian refugee girl into 21 “temporary” marriages over a two-year time period—for the purpose of prostitution—to various men including those from the Gulf; she was also forced to undergo seven hymen reconstruction surgeries. The “marriage broker”, doctor, fake sharia judge, two witnesses, as well as the victim’s mother in absentia, were charged under the anti-trafficking law and remained in detention at the end of the reporting period. The Ministry of Justice reported the government’s conviction of 28 offenders under the anti- trafficking law in 2014—also marking a significant increase from two convictions in 2013. The penalties applied against the convicted trafficking offenders ranged from one to 10 years’ temporary hard labor, three to six months’ imprisonment, and financial fees.
The joint anti-trafficking unit settled 109 cases involving the

withholding of passports, nonpayment of wages, and restricted freedom. Though these cases involved conditions indicative of trafficking crimes, the government did not categorize them as such. NGOs and foreign embassy representatives reported the joint unit preferred to settle potential cases of domestic servitude through mediation, rather than referring them for criminal prosecution. Foreign embassy officials reported the government failed to investigate cases in which workers’ wages had reportedly been withheld for at least five years. Despite reports employers continued to withhold garment workers’ documents, authorities did not routinely investigate or prosecute employers in this sector for document withholding or criminal trafficking offenses. The government did not report any investigations or prosecutions of government employees for complicity in trafficking-related offenses. The joint anti-trafficking unit trained other law enforcement officials on trafficking during internal PSD workshops in 2014.

PROTECTION
The government continued to make progress in its efforts to proactively identify and protect trafficking victims.The government identified 121 female and 40 male victims in 2014; this represents an increase from 90 victims identified in the previous reporting period. The government referred 122 potential victims to a government-run shelter for GBV victims, a local NGO-operated shelter, and an international organization; this was a significant increase from 46 victim referrals in 2013. In March 2015, the government completed construction of a shelter solely dedicated to protecting trafficking victims; however, it was not operational and a designated budget was being developed cooperatively between the government and an international organization at the end of the reporting period.The government began development of a national victim referral mechanism; in the interim, it continued to shelter victims at a GBV facility and to refer victims to services. During the reporting period, the joint anti-trafficking unit agreed to regularly refer trafficking victims to a local NGO for legal aid; in December 2014, the unit referred five victims as a result of the agreement. In early 2014, the government officially expanded the mandate of a shelter for GBV victims to formalize its assistance to trafficking victims; it could house up to 50 female victims of violence and offered medical, psycho-social, educational, and legal assistance. The joint anti-trafficking unit referred 31 cases to the shelter during the reporting period and demonstrated professionalism and sensitivity when handling trafficking  cases.
Foreign female domestic workers continued to seek refuge at their respective embassies, which provided shelters for hundreds of workers who fled abusive employers. Many of them were waiting for the return of their passports, back pay for unpaid salaries, or resolution of labor disputes or criminal charges.The government conducted outreach to foreign embassies and migrant workers, waived overstay fines to facilitate workers’ departure from the country, and waived fees for renewing expired work permits during its March to May 2014 and February to April 2015 amnesty periods. Nonetheless, victims remained vulnerable to arrest and detention if found without valid residency documents and the government incarcerated some foreign domestic workers fleeing abusive employers after their employers or recruitment agencies filed false claims of theft against them. NGOs noted trained law enforcement officials did not always interview or screen foreign migrant workers in administrative detention or those charged with crimes as potential trafficking victims.The fining of foreign workers without valid residency documents—including identified trafficking victims—served as a strong disincentive for trafficking victims to

remain in Jordan and pursue legal action against traffickers. The government did not provide foreign victims with legal alternatives to their removal to countries where they might face hardship or retribution.