On 28 March, the prime minister issued deportation if they did not give up their Defence Order 28 ending the practice of asylum-seeking certificate before applying for imprisoning individuals for debt and work permits. In November, Syrian journalist providing for a travel ban instead. Thousands Ibrahim Awad was arbitrarily arrested and of people fled Jordan fearing imprisonment subsequently detained in the al Azraq for debt. On 14 July, minister of justice refugee camp 100km east of Amman. Ahmad al-Zeyadat submitted a draft law In May, the government announced it would offering indebted individuals more flexibility allow all refugees with expired documents to in paying off their debts, but the law had not renew their papers at UNHCR until the end been enacted by the end of 2021. of the year, and that expired documents would not prevent their access to services, WOMEN’S RIGHTS including healthcare and schooling. Gender-based violence continued, with legal By June, according to UNHCR, more than protections and accountability for such half of eligible refugees in Jordan had crimes remaining weak. received at least one Covid-19 vaccination. In the first half of 2021, several women’s In July, the World Food Programme rights organizations, as well as the UN, announced that 21,000 Syrian refugees in reported that incidents of gender-based Jordan would no longer receive food violence had increased by over 50% assistance due to a shortage of funds, and compared to the previous year. By the end of that food insecurity among refugees had September, 14 women had been killed due to doubled in the past year to reach 25%. domestic violence according to the Nearly two in three refugees were on the Sisterhood is Global Institute in Amman. brink of food insecurity. Gender-based violence increased in the DEATH PENALTY context of worsening economic conditions largely exacerbated by Covid-19 measures. Authorities continued to hand down death However, the gradual reopening of services sentences; no executions were carried out. and the removal of movement restrictions improved survivors’ access to gender-based violence specialized services. Gender-based KAZAKHSTAN violence agencies continued to provide their services remotely and in person, and Republic of Kazakhstan increased the capacity of their hotlines. Head of state: Kassym-Jomart Tokayev Head of government: Askar Mamin REFUGEES’ AND MIGRANTS’ RIGHTS As of 30 September, according to UNHCR, The rights to freedom of expression and Jordan was hosting 670,637 Syrian, 66,665 peaceful assembly remained severely Iraqi, 12,866 Yemeni, 6,013 Sudanese and limited and human rights organizations and 696 Somali refugees. It was also hosting trade unions faced restrictions. Torture and 1,453 refugees from 52 other countries other ill-treatment remained widespread. registered with UNHCR, in addition to over People with disabilities continued to face 2 million Palestinian refugees registered with challenges in claiming their basic human the UN Relief and Works Agency. rights. LGBTI people faced high levels of In March, at least four Yemeni asylum discrimination and abuse. Asylum seekers seekers were deported to Yemen without due fleeing human rights abuses in China faced process; they had applied for work permits imprisonment and discrimination. and were detained for over a month before BACKGROUND their deportation. As of April, eight others faced deportation orders. Humanitarian In parliamentary elections held on 10 workers reported that asylum seekers faced January, the ruling Nur Otan party won 71% Amnesty International Report 2021/22 217