New law against the press comes under strong criticism
Jordan, Politics, 6/27/1998

Human Rights Watch addressed a message to Jordan's Speaker Saad Hayil Surour, including the point of view of the international organization that deals with human rights, regarding the draft Law of Press and Publications in Jordan.

The organization sent the letter on Tuesday and later made its contents public. Middle East and North African Executive Manager, Hanny Megally, signed the letter.

"The law imposes sweeping restrictions on the content of anything printed in Jordan, and gives vast powers to the information ministry to suspend newspapers, censor and ban books, and prohibit the entry of foreign publications," a press release from the organization said.

Megally's letter said, "The state is attempting to limit access to information, and control the content of what is written and read in Jordan. The proposed law is a direct threat to freedom of expression, and imposes a daunting regime of censorship on journalists, scholars, researchers, writers, editors and publishers."

The message indicated that if the draft Law of Press and Publication is not vetoed or amended, it would, to a large extent, prohibit releasing information in books, newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals on "a staggering range of vaguely worded topics," including those dealing with military and security forces and criticizing Arab, Islamic and friendly leaders.

The law also prohibits the publication of information that may lead to strikes, sit-ins and popular gatherings, the message said as well as barring the release of information that threatens the national currency, propagates perversity or opposes the principles of national responsibility and the values of Arab and Islamic nations.

Those who violate the law have to pay fines from $21,000 to $35,000 for each single breach.

The text of the draft law is to be in effect against publishers of books, newspapers and other specialized publications and research institutes, referendum centers and translation houses.

The draft law "wrongly places the burden on writers, editors and publishers to guess what is meant by these ambiguous terms or face punitive sanctions," Megally said in the letter to Jordan's Speaker.

He added that the inevitable threat is that there will be increased "self-censorship" and the unpleasant conclusion that there will be a sharp drop in the diversity of news and other information that reach the public.

HRW organization in the message to Jordan's Speaker, called on Jordanian deputies to veto or amend the text of the draft law that forms unreasonable intervention against the right of expression that internationally protected.

The international organization expressed deep concern with regard to the text of the draft Law of Press and Publications that goes against the right of expression, "We also recommend the revision of other articles in the law... that would have the effect, intended or otherwise, of reducing the diversity of information in newspapers, books and other publications in Jordan, and imposing a daunting regime of censorship on journalists, scholars, writers, editors, and publishers," the letter said.

It said that modern technology has spread widely and that information is transmitted instantly saying "Against the backdrop of this worldwide trend, the draft press and publications law is an unfortunate step backward for Jordan."

"In our view," the message said, "it represents an unreasonable and unwarranted attempt by the state to limit access to information and to control the content of what is written and read in the Kingdom."

Previous Stories:
  Worst law for the press says writers, Parliament voice its opinion   (6/23/1998)
  Jordan: we do not object to convening Arab summit in Damascus   (6/22/1998)
  New law to give Press more freedom not less   (6/16/1998)

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