Amnesty International Urges Release of Jordanian Journalist Ahmad Hassan Al-Zoubi

Amnesty International has called for the release of well-known journalist Ahmad Hassan Al-Zoubi by Jordanian authorities.

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Amnesty

Al-Zoubi was arrested on Tuesday by security forces enforcing a 2023 court order that sentenced him to jail over a Facebook post critical of the authorities’ response to transportation strikes.

“No one should be imprisoned simply for expressing criticism of the authorities on social media,” said Aya Majzoub, Amnesty’s deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa.

“Ahmad Hassan Al-Zoubi’s detention is part of a widespread, ongoing crackdown on dissent in Jordan which has in recent months targeted hundreds of individuals. In addition to his arbitrary arrest and conviction, he also faced an unfair trial on charges that are not recognisable crimes under international law.”

Majzoub called for Jordanian authorities to “immediately and unconditionally release” the journalist and “quash his conviction.”

Amnesty reported that court documents showed Al-Zoubi was initially handed a two-month sentence and a fine in June 2023. He was convicted under Article 150 of the penal code and Article 15 of Jordan’s former Cybercrime Law for “inciting strife.”

Majzoub urged Jordanian authorities to “amend vague and overly broad provisions of laws, such as the new Cybercrime Law, being used to criminalize freedom of expression.”

After an appeal by the public prosecution, Al-Zoubi’s sentence was increased to one year in jail and a 200 Jordanian dinar ($280) fine in July 2023.

Al-Zoubi’s lawyer stated that the prosecution relied solely on his Facebook post to convict him of “inciting strife,” pointing to comments made on the post where others had expressed inciteful sentiments.

According to Amnesty, an appeals court delivered its decision “without setting court sessions and allowing Al-Zoubi and his lawyer to present a defense.”

While in Jordan there can only be one appeal before the Court of Appeals for misdemeanors, special appeal requests before the Cassation Court are possible on an exceptional basis. Amnesty reported that the justice minister “refused three requests” from Al-Zoubi’s lawyer to take the case to the Court of Cassation.