Jordanians outraged after kidnapped boy found with hands amputated, eyes gouged

Jordanians were left shocked this week after a 16-year-old boy was found with his hands amputated and eyes gouged out in the Zarqa governate.

The shocking crime surfaced after a video circulating online showed the young boy crying out for medical assistance.

He was reportedly kidnapped by the group while out buying bread from the local bakery before being tortured.

The young boy said the crime took place in a house and claimed a "hatchet" was used to gouge his eyes out. A doctor at the hospital treating him said only one eye was severely damaged, according to local reports.

Authorities in Jordan swiftly moved to arrest the suspects and banned residents from sharing the clip online due to its graphic nature.

Jordan's King Abdullah II is reportedly monitoring the investigation personally.

The crime sparked angry responses from Jordanians.

"A bunch of scums attacked a 16-year-old boy because of a vendetta they had for his dad, they cut off the boy's arms and popped out his eyes! in what world is it okay for these scums to get away with it?" one user said on Twitter.

"This is the brother and son of all Jordanians," another user said alongside an image of the young boy. "We will not accept any less than execution for these human monsters," she added.

"I've had enough listening to these horrific incidents happening in Jordan and the Middle East in general. Watch this get hyped up for a day or two on social media then totally get forgotten about afterwards. We need permanent solutions," another tweet read.

In July, the brutal murder of a 30-year-old Jordanian woman by her father, in a so-called "honour killing", put the issue of violence against women under the spotlight, reigniting public fury and calls for action in the kingdom.

Sarkhaat Al-Nisaa, Arabic for "the screams of women", is the name of a new campaign formed in the wake of the killing.

In response, protesters called for a number of legislative and administrative changes.

Jordan's Penal Code is partly derived from France's Napoleonic Code – the French civil code. 

Article 99 allows a murderer's sentence to be reduced by half the original amount when a member of the victim's family chooses not to pursue legal action or forgives the murderer. 

The penalty can be further reduced under Article 98 if the defence argues that the crime was perpetuated in "a state of great fury resulting from an unlawful or dangerous act on the part of the victim".  

Read also: The screams of Ahlam: Harrowing honour killing in Jordan sparks movement for justice

Article 97, which allows the penalty for a premeditated murder to be reduced if it was committed due to a "fit of fury", also allows convicted murderers to serve as little as twelve months in jail. 

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