March 8, 2009

Press Freedom Hits a New Low: Journalist Referred to Court for an Online Article

““In Jordan there will be no detention of any journalist for carrying out his/her duty.”

“Detention of journalists is prohibited. I do not see a reason for detaining a journalist because he/she wrote something” or for expressing a view."


King Abdullah/November 2008


Today, Journalist Khalid Mahadeen, was referred to court by the general prosecutor, for "defamation" after criticizing the privileges given to parliament members in this ONLINE article. I may, therefore, want to choose my words carefully, but nah, the hell with it, just explain this to me. Are the King's words considered bupkis now? He says something one day, and the next day people do the EXACT OPPOSITE?? If people are scared shitless of opening their mouths when it comes to royalty, how come there's no inclination to implementing what is being said every couple of months?

Sky's the limit, eh?

Tell that to Mahadeen while he's being dragged through courts and humiliating interrogations, probably to be eventually paid off at some point.

4 comments:

Mohanned said...

Seems you don't know who mahadeen is. Hw wroks for alrai, and worked as an "adviser" to the late king hussien, and was treated for his illness on the "expense" of the royal court..
Then why not? You see, the MPs say to themselves why us? There are some people up there who are stealing way more than us.

Anonymous said...

There is no such thing as freedom of the presses here. I read once in the jordan times when they were covering a story on anti-valentine's and how ppl partied in a cafe called platine. They said cafe ya3ni obviouslt ppl dont party in cafe's they just said that to ease in the shock.

Anonymous said...

it'd be funny if it weren't so sad.

Ahmad Hamdan said...

freedom of speech means according to those as this: you saw nothing, you heard nothing and you talknothing . violate any one of these and be ready for our judgment day