Jordanian authorities continue to arrest activists on cases related to freedom of expression and refer them to unfair trials, where they face arbitrary detention.
The Jordanian security services arrested the satirical journalist, Ahmed Hassan Al-Zoubi, while being outside with his wife and children in the city of Ramtha in preparation for the implementation of a prison sentence issued against him 11 months ago.
The Amman Criminal Magistrate Court decided to imprison Al-Zoubi for one year with a fine for sharing a post on Facebook.
The court’s decision came after the Magistrate Court had decided to imprison Al-Zoubi for two months. The Public Prosecution then appealed the ruling, and the punishment for Al-Zoubi was increased to one year with a fine.
Al-Zoubi shared a post on Facebook during the truck strike that began in Ma’an Governorate at the end of last year, due to a significant increase in fuel prices.
Al-Zoubi then commented on a statement of the Minister of Municipalities, in which he said: “even if blood was shed, oil prices won’t go down.” Al-Zoubi wrote on his Facebook account: “How much blood should our children shed to satisfy your thirst? The blood has been shed, Your Excellency. We are the firewood in your fireplaces.”
Al-Zoubi’s lawyers had submitted at least two requests to overturn the sentence, but they were rejected by the Minister of Justice. The court also refused to replace the sentence with community service.
The sentencing of Al-Zoubi requires the intervention of human rights organisations and the international community to pressure the Jordanian government to take appropriate and balanced measures to deal with issues related to freedom of expression and press rights, taking into account the right of citizens to express their opinions and participate in public dialogue safely.
