(WiPC/IFEX) – The WiPC is disturbed by the arrest of Senan Shaqdeh, a prominent journalist. Shaqdeh was arrested on 25 July 1999 and has now been held without charge or trial for more than two weeks. **Updates IFEX alert of 26 July 1999** According to several reports the WiPC has received, Shaqdeh was arrested in […]
(WiPC/IFEX) – The WiPC is disturbed by the arrest of Senan Shaqdeh, a
prominent journalist. Shaqdeh was arrested on 25 July 1999 and has now been
held without charge or trial for more than two weeks.
**Updates IFEX alert of 26 July 1999**
According to several reports the WiPC has received, Shaqdeh was arrested in
the early hours of Sunday 25 July while at his home in the Na’or suburb of
Amman. His rooms were searched, an arrest warrant was presented, and some
manuscripts of articles Shaqdeh had written were confiscated. Shaqdeh was
initially taken to the General Intelligence department, but has recently
been transferred to a public prison. He suffers from high blood pressure and
has reportedly received medical attention for an attack of tachycardia which
he had while in detention.
There are apparently no official charges being pressed against him as of
yet, although there is speculation among his colleagues that the reason for
his arrest may lie in a news piece he published as the senior editorial
advisor of the evening daily “Al-Masaya”, in which he reported that two
thousand Syrian dissidents living in Jordan had been granted passports. The
article, it is thought, has perhaps been deemed by the authorities as
damaging to relations with a foreign power. Others believe that the
authorities are eager to identify the sources Shaqdeh used in researching
the story.
Aged 30, Shaqdeh is a member of the Jordanian Journalists’ Association. He
holds a degree in journalism from an Algerian university and in 1997, he was
selected to participate in the U.S. International Visitors’ Program. As well
as his role with “Al-Masaya”, he has worked for the weeklies “Sheehan”,
“Al-Bilad” and “Al-Hadath”. In 1996 he held a post in Ramallah on the West
Bank and he continues to cover Palestinian affairs for the Emirates-based
daily “Al-Ittihad”.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the king:
carrying out his professional duties, the internationally-recognised right
to freedom of expression will be severely undermined
sound
investigative journalism, their right to keep their sources confidential
must be preserved
allow him to resume his journalistic duties without further fear of
harassment or intimidation
that
their scope to abridge freedom of expression is eliminated
Appeals To
His Royal Highness King Abdullah ibn al-Hussain al-Hashimi
Royal Palace
Amman, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Email: info@nic.gov.joCopies of your appeals can be sent to the Jordanian Journalists’ Association
Fax: +962 6 4623612
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
