Jordanian journalists appeal to Prince Hassan not to sign new press law

The Jordanian Journalists Union on Wednesday appealed Jordanian Crown Prince Hassan, who is acting on behalf of the King in running the Kingdom's affairs, not to ratify a new press draft bill approved by the Parliament on July 14 and ratified by the Jordanian al-Ayan council (upper house) last Monday.

In a message addressed to the crown prince, the Journalist Union said that the draft bill "contradicts the spirit of the constitution and self-expression. It violates the democracy Jordan has pursued since 1989."

Laws in Jordan are only valid when approved by the King. Several Jordanian journalists hope the crown prince will return the press draft law to the parliament in order to chop items increasing censorship.

Observers fear that such a law if ratified by the King would keep a blind eye on corruption in the state's institutions and silence the vast opposition of the Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty. Last month Crown Prince Hassan criticized the state-run media and warned against being just a means to serve the government.