Beirut, March 20, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by the March 17 arrest 1 of Jordanian publisher Omar Al Zayood, following a complaint by former Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh that Zayood’s Al Hashmiyah News 2 site published an inaccurate 3 report about him, and calls on authorities to stop using the cybercrime law 4 to silence the press.
“We urge Jordanian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release journalist Omar Al Zayood, which would send a clear signal that authorities respect the freedom of the press and stop criminalizing journalists,” said CPJ Program Director Carlos Martinez de la Serna, in New York. “We reiterate our call for the repeal of the 2023 cybercrimes law, which has further stifled the independence of the media in Jordan.”
The public prosecutor in the capital Amman ordered 5 Zayood’s arrest after questioning him on the charge of “inaccuracy and insulting the dignity of individuals.” Penalties under the law include prison sentences of three months to three years, and fines of 5,000 to 20,000 Jordanian dinars (US$7,000 to 28,000).
CPJ was unable to confirm which Al Hashmiyah News report the lawsuit referred to or for how long Zayood was ordered detained.
Al-Khasawneh served as prime minister from 2000 until September 2024, when he resigned following parliamentary elections. King Abdullah II appointed 6 Jjafar Hassan to replace him.
CPJ has criticized 7 the Cybercrime Law, which criminalizes 8 vaguely defined online activities, including social media posts deemed to be “fake” or that undermine national unity. Since its introduction, numerous 9 journalists have been arrested and prosecuted for their critical online commentary on sensitive topics.
At least two journalists 10 were imprisoned in Jordan at the time of CPJ’s latest annual prison census 11 on December 1, 2024. Both have since been freed.
CPJ’s email to Al Hashmiyah News requesting comment did not receive a reply. CPJ was unable to find contacts for Amman’s public prosecutor or Al-Khasawneh.
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists 12 and was authored by CPJ Staff.