Middle East Policy has been one of the world’s most cited publications on the region since its inception in 1982, and our Breaking Analysis series makes high-quality, diverse analysis available to a broader audience.
Policy Briefs Program
August 15, 2023
On Saturday, August 12, Jordanian King Abdullah II approved a bill that would charge individuals for posting online content that is harmful to national unity. Under this legislation, comments understood to be “promoting, instigating, aiding, or inciting immorality,” demonstrating “contempt for religion,” naming police officers, or otherwise weakening national unity are punishable with prison time and fines. Rights groups and journalists have denounced the bill, which amends a 2015 cybercrime law, for eroding freedom of expression.
Regional sources analyze the contents of the bill and its implications:
This legislation responds to rising cybercrime rates, according to Arab News. Faisal Shboul, Jordanian Minister of Government Communications outlined: “16,000 complaints about Internet crimes had been filed in 2022 and another 8,000 during the first six months of 2023.” The cybercrime unit of the Public Security Department reported “that the number of cybercrime cases increased almost six-fold over the eight years between 2015 and 2022.” They claim this is “‘an indication that many use social media platforms without knowing the difference between the freedom of expression and committing offenses, unintentionally or not.’”
Prior to approval by King Abdullah II, the draft law, which had been “previously revised by the Senate, was approved by the Lower House of Parliament.” Following this approval, the Senate reviewed the bill again and “endorsed the Lower House of Parliament’s decision to pass the amended draft cybercrime law” in mid-July, outlines Roya. The original revisions by the Senate were made to “Articles 15, 16, and 17” and within “these three articles, the prescribed penalties include imprisonment, fines, or a combination of both.”
Al Jazeera reports that “proponents of the legislation argue it is necessary to punish blackmailers and online attackers.” However, “critics say it will expand state control over social media, limit free access to information, and penalise antigovernment speech and thereby could be used against political opponents.” Opposition lawmaker, Saleh al-Armoiti, said after the vote that “‘this law is disastrous and will lead to turning Jordan into a large prison.’”
Speaking to Jordan News, Yahya Shuqair, an expert on media laws and freedoms, said, “Some articles in the draft law contain phrases that have ambiguous meanings, such as the term ‘false or fake news’ and ‘character assassination,’ among others, making it impossible know what these terms entail, and where to draw the line between what is an opinion and what is slander.” He added that at stake is “freedom of expression, and that is why criminal intent must be clarified so that a person is able to predict the consequences of his or her action.”
Human Rights Watch called the bill “draconian,” according to i24 News. The group “warned that it would ‘jeopardize digital rights, including freedom of expression and the right to information.’”
In addition to these concerns, there are worries over the constitutionality of the bill. Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh responded to this fear by saying “that the government does not consider the cybercrime bill a detractor from essential freedoms, and subsequently does not consider the bill unconstitutional.” The Jordan Times quotes Khasawneh’s statements during a legislative session at the Lower House in which he pointed out that “‘when the percentage of cybercrimes complaints becomes six times higher in a single year, reconsideration is a must.’”
Amman Net argues that “the country’s existing cybercrime law is already being abused to target journalists since it was enacted in 2015.” More than “2,000 cases were brought by the authorities in 2020, often against political activists and journalists.” Of the new amendments, International Press Institute (IPI) Executive Board Chair Khadija Patel said “‘IPI is deeply concerned about many provisions in this cybercrime legislation that can be abused to target and punish journalists and critics.’” Patel added that they “‘are also concerned by the lack of public participation in the drafting of this legislation.’”
Middle East Policy has been one of the world’s most cited publications on the region since its inception in 1982, and our Breaking Analysis series makes high-quality, diverse analysis available to a broader audience.
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Policy Briefs Program
August 15, 2023
On Saturday, August 12, Jordanian King Abdullah II approved a bill that would charge individuals for posting online content that is harmful to national unity. Under this legislation, comments understood to be “promoting, instigating, aiding, or inciting immorality,” demonstrating “contempt for religion,” naming police officers, or otherwise weakening national unity are punishable with prison time and fines. Rights groups and journalists have denounced the bill, which amends a 2015 cybercrime law, for eroding freedom of expression.
Regional sources analyze the contents of the bill and its implications:
This legislation responds to rising cybercrime rates, according to Arab News. Faisal Shboul, Jordanian Minister of Government Communications outlined: “16,000 complaints about Internet crimes had been filed in 2022 and another 8,000 during the first six months of 2023.” The cybercrime unit of the Public Security Department reported “that the number of cybercrime cases increased almost six-fold over the eight years between 2015 and 2022.” They claim this is “‘an indication that many use social media platforms without knowing the difference between the freedom of expression and committing offenses, unintentionally or not.’”
Prior to approval by King Abdullah II, the draft law, which had been “previously revised by the Senate, was approved by the Lower House of Parliament.” Following this approval, the Senate reviewed the bill again and “endorsed the Lower House of Parliament’s decision to pass the amended draft cybercrime law” in mid-July, outlines Roya. The original revisions by the Senate were made to “Articles 15, 16, and 17” and within “these three articles, the prescribed penalties include imprisonment, fines, or a combination of both.”
Al Jazeera reports that “proponents of the legislation argue it is necessary to punish blackmailers and online attackers.” However, “critics say it will expand state control over social media, limit free access to information, and penalise antigovernment speech and thereby could be used against political opponents.” Opposition lawmaker, Saleh al-Armoiti, said after the vote that “‘this law is disastrous and will lead to turning Jordan into a large prison.’”
Speaking to Jordan News, Yahya Shuqair, an expert on media laws and freedoms, said, “Some articles in the draft law contain phrases that have ambiguous meanings, such as the term ‘false or fake news’ and ‘character assassination,’ among others, making it impossible know what these terms entail, and where to draw the line between what is an opinion and what is slander.” He added that at stake is “freedom of expression, and that is why criminal intent must be clarified so that a person is able to predict the consequences of his or her action.”
Human Rights Watch called the bill “draconian,” according to i24 News. The group “warned that it would ‘jeopardize digital rights, including freedom of expression and the right to information.’”
In addition to these concerns, there are worries over the constitutionality of the bill. Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh responded to this fear by saying “that the government does not consider the cybercrime bill a detractor from essential freedoms, and subsequently does not consider the bill unconstitutional.” The Jordan Times quotes Khasawneh’s statements during a legislative session at the Lower House in which he pointed out that “‘when the percentage of cybercrimes complaints becomes six times higher in a single year, reconsideration is a must.’”
Amman Net argues that “the country’s existing cybercrime law is already being abused to target journalists since it was enacted in 2015.” More than “2,000 cases were brought by the authorities in 2020, often against political activists and journalists.” Of the new amendments, International Press Institute (IPI) Executive Board Chair Khadija Patel said “‘IPI is deeply concerned about many provisions in this cybercrime legislation that can be abused to target and punish journalists and critics.’” Patel added that they “‘are also concerned by the lack of public participation in the drafting of this legislation.’”
(Image: Chatham House )