The International Press Institute (IPI) condemns the sentencing of Jordanian satire journalist Ahmed Al-Zoubi to one year in prison over a social media post. Jordan鈥檚 justice minister last month denied Al-Zoubi鈥檚 defence team the right to appeal the sentence further.
The case centers around a Facebook post Al-Zoubi made during a in Jordan鈥檚 Ma鈥檃n Governorate in December 2022. The post was critical of the state鈥檚 response to the strike.
Al-Zoubi was then accused of inciting 鈥渟ectarian strife鈥�. He was initially sentenced to two months in prison. However, the prosecutor general appealed this verdict and on August 9, 2023, the Criminal Court in Amman Al-Zoubi to one year in prison and imposed a fine.
Last month, Jordanian Minister of Justice Ahmed Al-Ziadat the defense team’s request to appeal the verdict (permission is needed as this type of case is normally not subject to further appeal). Al-Zoubi鈥檚 legal team is reportedly considering next steps, including the possibility of submitting another request to the Minister of Justice or the Attorney General.
The court鈥檚 imprisonment decision has not yet been transferred for implementation and Al-Zoubi therefore currently remains free.
鈥淲e call on the Jordanian authorities to drop their case against Ahmed Al-Zoubi and ensure that he remains free. Sharing information in relation to events of public interest is not a crime鈥�, IPI Deputy Director Scott Griffen. 鈥淭his case is a reminder of growing restrictions on freedom of speech and the press in Jordan, which have targeted online expression in particular. Jordan must ensure that its laws and practices are in line with international standards and do not cast a chilling effect on journalists or others exercising their fundamental right of freedom of expression.鈥�
Jordan recently passed a new cybercrime law that criminalizes the publication of 鈥渇alse news鈥�, 鈥渟tirring up strife鈥�, and 鈥渦ndermining national unity鈥� and other provisions that could be used by the authorities to target journalists and critics. Journalists and human rights activists both inside and outside Jordan have raised fears about the law鈥檚 impact on press freedom and freedom of expression.