AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — The lower house of Jordan’s parliament passed legislation Thursday to punish online speech deemed harmful to national unity, drawing…
The measure makes certain online posts punishable with months of prison time and fines. These include comments “promoting, instigating, aiding, or inciting immorality,” demonstrating “contempt for religion” or “undermining national unity.”It also punishes those who publish names or pictures of police officers online and outlaws certain methods of maintaining online anonymity.
Prime Minister Bishr al-Khasawneh insisted during Thursday’s deliberations that the bill did not run afoul of Jordan’s “clear and balanced” constitution, Jordanian media reported.Article content In a joint statement ahead of the vote, 14 human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, called the law “draconian.” They said the law’s “vague provisions open the door for Jordan’s executive branch to punish individuals for exercising their right to freedom of expression, forcing the judges to convict citizens in most cases.”
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