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Jordan’s Anti-Corruption Commission: A Mixed Bag

AMMAN - Since its establishment in 2008, the Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission (IACC) has been at the forefront of combating corruption in Jordan. The commission was born out of a need to address citizens’ grievances with state institutions, replacing both the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Ombudsman Bureau.

Expanding Definition of Corruption

Over the years, the IACC has expanded its definition of corruption to include additional crimes, such as:

  • Failure to disclose investments or assets that could lead to conflicts of interests and personal enrichment
  • Loopholes in the original ACC law have been addressed by imposing fines and prison sentences on those who fail to comply with demands

New Powers and Authorities

The IACC president now has the authority to request assistance from state institutions, including:

  • Administrative staff
  • Law enforcement
  • Judicial authorities

Additionally, the commission provides exonerations to individuals who engage in corruption but become whistleblowers, and establishes an account at the Central Bank where funds recovered through settlements are deposited and eventually returned to their rightful owners.

High-Profile Cases and Recovered Funds

The IACC has investigated numerous high-profile cases, including:

  • Embezzlement of fuel from a public university worth millions of Jordanian dinars
  • Misappropriation of 300,000 euros obtained from the European Union to monitor the 2016 elections
  • In 2019, cases filed by the commission had recuperated over 150 million dinars (around $211.5 million)

Challenges in Combating Corruption

Despite its efforts, the IACC faces significant challenges in combating corruption, including:

  • Prevalence of “wasta” - using personal connections to obtain benefits and advantages - throughout the public and private sectors
  • Limited ability to hold accountable ministers and parliamentarians suspected of engaging in corruption due to:
    • Article 86 of the constitution, which provides immunity for sitting parliamentarians and senators
    • Procedural immunity enjoyed by ministers

Restrictive Media Landscape

Jordan’s media landscape is restrictive, vague, and arbitrarily enforced, leading to:

  • Self-censorship by journalists
  • Lack of transparency in reporting on corruption
  • Difficulty for the IACC to effectively investigate and prosecute cases without a free press

Need for Systemic Change

Experts agree that systemic economic and political changes are needed to rebuild trust in the state and put an end to corruption. The latest round of political reforms may hold the key to such change, but only time will tell.

Limitations of the ‘Rule of Law’ Approach

Jordanian experts agree that corruption is not systemic, but widespread “wasta” persists throughout both public and private sectors. Many parliamentarians prioritize wasta over legislating and overseeing the executive branch, while ministers enjoy procedural immunity, making it difficult to hold them accountable.

Limitations of Anti-Corruption under Authoritarian Neoliberalism

The IACC’s efforts are hindered by Jordan’s restrictive media landscape and socioeconomic inequalities worsened as the neoliberal economy has persisted alongside a shrinking welfare state. The IACC is incapable of bringing about an end to this broken trust and disillusionment on its own. Systemic economic and political changes are needed to rebuild trust in the state and put an end to corruption.