The family of imprisoned Jordanian journalist Ahmed Hassan Al-Zoubi revealed that he began to suffer serious health deterioration due to his difficult detention conditions in Marka prison, most notably the severe overcrowding.
Al-Zoubi informed his family during a recent family visit that medical tests showed an increase in “kidney enzymes”, noting that he suffers from chronic diabetes, in addition to the great psychological pressures resulting from the difficult detention conditions.
Al-Zoubi’s family indicated that the prison administration did not respond to the request to transfer him to Bab Al-Hawa prison in Irbid Governorate, explaining that the National Center for Human Rights informed them that it is following up on the transfer request from Marka prison, but to no avail.
The family pointed out that a complaint was filed with the Ministry of Justice and the Prison Administration regarding his health condition, holding them responsible for any deterioration in his health condition.
Jordanian security services arrested the journalist Ahmed Hassan Al-Zoubi on July 2, while he was heading along with his wife and children to his agricultural land in Ramtha city, based on a prison sentence issued against him 11 months ago.
The Amman Magistrate Court decided to imprison Al-Zoubi for one year imprisonment plus a fine, due to a Facebook post during the truck strike in Ma’an Governorate last year in protest against the significant increase in fuel prices.
In light of the verdict against Al-Zoubi, human rights organizations and the international community must step in and put pressure on the Jordanian government to take appropriate, fair measures that address issues pertaining to press freedom and freedom of expression while also taking into account citizens’ rights to free speech and safe participation in public discourse.
