(CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ is strongly protesting the recent decision by the Jordan Press Association (JPA) to expel journalists Abdullah Hasanat, editor-in-chief of the English-language daily “Jordan Times”, Sultan Hattab, a columnist for the daily “Al-Rai”, and Jihad Momani, a columnist for the daily “Al-Dustour”. **Updates IFEX alerts of 20 October 1999** The JPA council, upon […]
(CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ is strongly protesting the recent decision by the Jordan
Press Association (JPA) to expel journalists Abdullah Hasanat,
editor-in-chief of the English-language daily “Jordan Times”, Sultan Hattab,
a columnist for the daily “Al-Rai”, and Jihad Momani, a columnist for the
daily “Al-Dustour”.
**Updates IFEX alerts of 20 October 1999**
The JPA council, upon recommendation from its disciplinary committee, voted
on Tuesday to expel the three journalists for violating the association’s
bylaws, which prohibit “normalization” with Israel. The decision came in
response to a September 1999 visit they made to Israel at the invitation of
Haifa University’s Centre for Arab-Jewish Studies.
Having been expelled, each faces a possible ban on working as a journalist
in accordance with Jordan’s Press and Publications Law (PPL) and the Jordan
Press Association Law which stipulate membership in the JPA as a condition
for practicing journalism in Jordan.
According to recent reports in the Jordanian press, the JPA has indicated
that the decision is not final. The organization will apparently revisit the
issue in two weeks for a final ruling.
Punishing journalists and preventing them from doing their jobs because of
what they write or where they choose to travel is an unacceptable
infringement of the most basic rights of free expression as guaranteed under
international law. CPJ is disheartened that the JPA, an organization that
has presented itself as an advocate for journalists’ rights in Jordan, would
seek to censor the very people it claims to defend.
This case highlights what in CPJ’s view is the larger problem of mandatory
membership for Jordanian journalists in the JPA. No institution or
government should have the right to determine who may or may not practice
journalism. Such powers only invite restrictions on the ability of the press
to function freely.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the press association president:
from the JPA are reversed immediately, so that they may practice their
profession without future harassment from the JPA
Press
and
Publications Law and the Jordan Press Association Law, to end the JPA
membership
requirement for Jordanian journalists
Appeals To
Mr. Seif al-Sharif
President
Jordan Press Association
Amman, The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Fax: +962 6 566 7170
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
