Amnesty: Jordan using cybercrimes law to stifle pro-Palestine sentiment

Amman (Quds News Network)- Jordanian authorities are weaponizing the new Cybercrimes Law to target and harass pro-Palestine journalists, activists and others for expressing opinions that are critical of government policies and practices, leading human rights organization Amnesty International said on Tuesday.

Marking one year since the law’s adoption, Amnesty said it has documented the cases of 15 individuals who were prosecuted under the new law after criticizing the authorities online.

In all these cases, the authorities violated the defendants’ rights including by arresting them without a warrant, failing to inform them of the reasons for their summons or the charges against them, questioning them without a lawyer and using psychological coercion and intimidating tactics during their interrogation or trial, according to Amnesty.

Amnesty added that the Jordanian authorities have escalated their “blatant assault on the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly in the country, using overly broad provisions” under the pretext of protecting the digital space.

The human rights group noted that the Jordanian authorities have particularly targeted recent pro-Palestine activism and criticism of government policies towards Israel.

“This sweeping crackdown has stifled the already small space for dissent in Jordan and created an environment of self-censorship,” said Aya Majzoub, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Between August 2023 and August 2024, Jordanian authorities charged hundreds under the Cybercrimes Law for social media posts that merely criticized the authorities, expressed pro-Palestinian sentiment, criticized Jordan’s peace deal with Israel, or called for peaceful protests and public strikes, according to Amnesty.

On July 22, a criminal court convicted lawyer and activist Moutaz Awwad of “provoking sedition or strife” under article 17 of the Cybercrimes Law and fined him 5000 Jordanian Dinars (around 7,000 USD) for posts on X, formerly Twitter, in which he criticized the policies of Arab countries towards Israel and expressed pro-Palestine sentiment.

Similarly, journalist Hiba Abu Taha is currently serving a one-year sentence in al-Juwaida Correction and Rehabilitation Centre in the south of Amman over an article she wrote in which she criticized Jordan’s interception of Iranian missiles headed to Israel in April 2024. A criminal court convicted her on 11 June 2024 for using social media platforms to “spread false news, or insult or defame a governmental authority or official body”, and for “inciting strife or sedition or threatening societal peace or inciting hatred or violence”.

Amnesty has also documented cases of activists and journalists who were questioned and/or prosecuted due to their coverage of Palestine solidarity protests on social media, re-sharing social media posts calling for protests, sharing videos or appearing in videos showing the authorities preventing and suppressing peaceful protests, as well as the case of an individual interrogated about the names of individuals who have called for protests.

In an additional layer of repression, Amnesty said governors have also used the Crime Prevention Law to detain critics and activists as a way to punish and intimidate them.

This law allows governors to detain people without charge or trial by administrative order with limited judicial review, circumventing fair trial safeguards normally afforded in criminal proceedings under the country’s Law of Criminal Procedure.

For example, in December 2023, security officers summoned activist Majd al-Farraj for interrogation about pro-Palestine slogans posted on social media. He was charged under the Cybercrimes Law, but later acquitted by a criminal court. On 19 March 2024, he was re-arrested during a protest and held in administrative detention for 40 days.

“The Jordanian authorities must repeal or substantially amend the cybercrimes law to bring it in line with international human rights law and standards,” said Majzoub.

“Criticism of the government’s policies and actions are legitimate forms of expression that should not be criminalized.”