(Freedom House/IFEX) – According to information provided by Freedom House on 15 April 1998, it was reported that on 13 April 1998 the Lower House of Parliament Committee urged Prime Minister Abdul Salam Majali to release Yousef Gheishan, a journalist working for the independent “Al Arab Al Yawm” Arabic newspaper. Gheishan was arrested early on […]
(Freedom House/IFEX) – According to information provided by Freedom House on
15 April 1998, it was reported that on 13 April 1998 the Lower House of
Parliament Committee urged Prime Minister Abdul Salam Majali to release
Yousef Gheishan, a journalist working for the independent “Al Arab Al Yawm”
Arabic newspaper. Gheishan was arrested early on 13 April 1998.
According to Gheishanâs family, 15 security agents stormed Gheishan’s house
at midnight on 13 April 1998. “They searched the whole house and took
everything that had his
handwriting on it, his files and archive”, his brother, Nabil Gheishan, told
the “Jordan Times.” No reason was given for his arrest, said the brother,
who also works for “Al Arab Al Yawm.”
The 11-month-old “Al Arab Al Yawm” has been more aggressive in reporting on
local issues, including the recent killing of three Jordanians, despite a
ban by the state prosecutor.
Gheishanâs family said an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
delegate, who visited the journalist at the headquarters of the General
Intelligence Department, reported that he was in good condition. Gheishan
has been arrested twice in the last three years though no charges have been
pressed against him.
Deputy Mohammad Azaideh, head of the Houseâs committee on public freedoms
and human rights, asked Prime Minister Majali to free Gheishan, who is also
an editor and satirical writer at “Abed Rabboh”, a weekly tabloid owned by
the Riyadh Al Hroub group, which publishes Jordanâs oldest weekly, “Shihan.”
Abdul Hadi Raji Majali, “Abed Rabbo”âs chief editor, criticized the manner
in which Gheishan was arrested and what he described as a “violation of the
sanctity of his home.”
During a press conference on 13 April 1998, Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Information Abdullah Ensour said he could not comment on the
reason behind his arrest, but said he hoped Gheishan, who is Christian,
would be freed in time to celebrate Easter with his family. “Mr. Gheishan
might have been arrested for any reason, including a traffic violation,” Dr.
Ensour told the weekly briefing. “I will pursue the matter.”
Bilal Tal, head of the Press and Publications Department (PPD), said he was
unaware of any “lawsuit filed against him” (Gheishan) by his department,
which monitors the coverage of all foreign and local media to ensure they do
not violate the penal code and the Press and Publications Law.
