Jordanian activists fear a return to stiff security handling of their protests following a controversial government reshuffle May 9, which handed the Ministry of Interior portfolio to a septuagenarian conservative figure known for his hard-line positions. Almost 28 hours following the appointment of Salameh Hamad, 75, a number of vocal activists in Jordan’s so-called Hirak movement were reportedly arrested in various parts of the kingdom.

The reshuffle, the third in Omar Razzaz’s one-year-old government, took place almost a week after King Abdullah appointed a new General Intelligence Department chief. In a letter to newly appointed chief Gen. Ahmad Husni on May 1, the king asked him to confront anyone who dares tamper with the foundations of the Jordanian Constitution and who abuse the difficult and delicate circumstances the country is passing through.

In his response on the same day, Gen. Husni said he will follow the king’s directives of ensuring that the rights and dignity of Jordanians are preserved and dealing firmly with all attempts to tamper with Jordanian national values and anyone intending to encroach on constitutional pillars.

This unusual exchange and the focus on defending constitutional foundations prompted analysts to conclude that the country may witness a toughening up in dealing with activists, especially those who have crossed traditional red lines such as the monarch and the royal family.