Ignorance of the law is not an excuse for anyone who commits any crime.” With these words, Jordanian law summed up the inadmissibility of citizens and non-citizens from being ignorant of laws and legislation, according to Article (85) of the Penal Code.
From this consideration, there are many wrong daily acts and practices, carried out by individuals without criminal intent due to ignorance of laws and regulations, exposing them to many legal problems on the pretext of not knowing the legal text. This also confirms the need to raise legal awareness among people, in light of their lack of awareness of the seriousness of committing violations, and the consequences of the violations.
In one of the cases that reached the legal department of the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD), which shows the importance of legal awareness, Khaldoun (a pseudonym), who came to Jordan as refugee in 2015, his dream of emigrating was almost dashed due to a traffic violation he committed years ago.
Khaldoun lives with his wife and four children in Jordan. In 2017, he was a motorcyclist. One day, he received a traffic ticket, but, he did not pay attention to it and continued his work normally.
In 2020, he obtained approval for his resettlement to a Western country. But during the preparation of his travel procedures, he was arrested, due to a traffic ticket worth JOD 500. This ticket is due to the traffic violation that was registered against him in 2017. The so he called the emergency number of the Legal Aid Department at ARDD and informed them about arresting him and that he needed help.
The next day, a lawyer from the legal department went to ascertain the reason for the arrest of Khaldoun, to find out that the motorcycle that Khaldoun was working on was not officially registered in Jordan, and the actual value of the violation had increased to JOD 500 because he ignored it and didn’t pay it at the time.
The legal department took the legal procedures, paid the fine for Khaldoun, and released him from prison, so that he could travel legally, and start a new life he chose for his future with his family.
Khaldoun’s story, and other similar stories, fall within ignorance of legal procedures, the misconception that we are not responsible for the violations committed, ignorance of completing the correct legal procedures, or a misconception that the legal problem has ended.
