The draft jordanian press law raises concerns
Jordan, Politics, 11/7/2005

ARTICLE 19 recently released an analysis of the 2004 draft Jordanian Press and Publications Law (1), which highlights a number of areas where the draft law violates international law. The existing Press and Publications Law (2) is even more problematical and needs to be significantly reworked if the Kingdom is to deliver its stated goals of modernisation and democratisation.

The new draft Press and Publications Law (PPL) was released in 2004, the latest of a line of such laws since 1993, all of which have failed to guarantee press freedom. Although the 2004 draft represents an incremental improvement over the existing law, the ARTICLE 19 analysis concludes that it falls far short of the substantial overhaul which would be necessary to bring Jordan into line with international standards on freedom of expression.

On the positive side, the draft PPL abolishes arrest and imprisonment for press crimes, reduces the number of restrictions on the content of what may be published and eliminates the possibility of closure of publications as a criminal sanction. These amendments address some concerns expressed in earlier commentaries by ARTICLE 19.

At the same time, although the new draft PPL includes a commitment to respect freedom of the press, many of its provisions provide for the regulation and control of the press. Journalists are required to become members of the Jordan Journalists' Association, rendering them vulnerable to pressure from that body. Those wishing to establish a publication must pass several bureaucratic hurdles, such as obtaining a licence, demonstrating substantial capital reserves and appointing managers or editors with academic qualifications. Vague content restrictions are another recurring feature in this draft, including a criminally enforceable duty to respect the "values of the Arab and Islamic nation" and to report in a "balanced, objective, and honest" manner.

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