AMMAN — Fourteen
international human rights organizations
have directed a message to King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein regarding the
Cybercrime Law, urging the King to intervene immediately to protect rights and
freedoms in Jordan and to refrain from endorsing the law.
اضافة اعلان
The human rights organizations, led by Human Rights Watch,
pointed out that many provisions of the law allow for unjust and unnecessary
pre-trial detention, which provides no guarantees for the affected individuals
and constitutes a violation of Article 9 of the
International Covenant on Civiland Political Rights, which stipulates that "anyone subjected to unlawful
arrest or detention shall have an enforceable right to compensation," Jo24
News reported.
The organizations signing the message also highlighted that
the law imposes severe penalties of imprisonment and hefty fines for
"undefined crimes," which contradicts the interpretation of
Article19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by the
United Nations Human Rights Committee.
Furthermore, the law grants unrestricted authority to the
prosecutor general and the executive to block social media platforms and issue orders
to control their content without the need for judicial decisions, thus limiting
the right to access the internet in Jordan. Additionally, the law places
restrictions on encryption and identity concealment in digital communications,
thereby impeding individuals' right to privacy and their freedom of opinion and
expression.
International Standing
The organizations also brought attention to King Abdullah
II's active involvement in the "Christchurch Call" to eliminate
terrorist and violent extremist content from the internet. The call emphasizes
the commitment of signatory countries to "respect and promote human rights
and ensure a free, open, and secure internet." Therefore, passing the
Cybercrime Law in 2023 would directly violate this call and negatively affect
Jordan's international standing and reputation.
Based on the above, the organizations call upon King
Abdullah not to endorse the Cybercrime Law of 2023 until it undergoes
consultation with individuals, civil society, and political parties to ensure
its compliance with civil and human rights and address its significant
shortcomings.
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