In a move contrary to fundamental rights guaranteed under international law, the State Security Court has issued a final ruling upholding the conviction of Mr Ayman Sandouqa on the charge of “incitement to undermine the system of government” and sentencing him to five years’ imprisonment.
The ruling follows Sandouqa’s arrest on 21 December 2023, when he was charged under Article 149 of the Jordanian Penal Code with “incitement to oppose the political regime”. This ignored the Court of Cassation’s recommendation to amend the charge to “insulting the monarch”, reflecting the prioritisation of political considerations over legal ones.
Sandouqa had posted a public message on his personal Facebook account addressing King Abdullah II directly, criticising his failure to cancel the “peace” agreement with the Israeli occupation in protest at the massacres being committed in the Gaza Strip.
The judgment against Sandouqa is based on Article 149 of the Jordanian Penal Code, which prescribes imprisonment for acts deemed a threat to the political system. This provision is frequently used as a pretext to restrict freedom of expression and to imprison government critics.
The ruling against Ayman Sandouqa constitutes a violation of fundamental human rights, particularly those related to freedom of opinion and expression. It also highlights the urgent need for legislative reform to ensure genuine protection of these rights without unjustified restrictions.
This ruling comes within a broader context of increasing constraints on freedom of expression in Jordan. In recent years, similar prosecutions of activists and journalists for expressing views on public issues have taken place. This underscores the need for international and human rights organisations to exert pressure on the Jordanian authorities to respect fundamental rights and to end practices that hinder freedom of expression.
