AMMAN — The Center for Defending Freedom
of Journalists (CDFJ) has criticized a statement by Speaker of the Lower House
Abdel Karim Al-Doghmi on Monday, in which he threatened to take measures against
photojournalists who take photographs that “infringe on the privacy of
parliamentarians”.
اضافة اعلان
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the CDFJ said that
Doghmi’s remark constitutes a violation of the freedom of journalistic work,
and contributes to restricting the work of media professionals, especially
photographers, who cover the legislature.
It stressed that “the media oversee the work of the
various public bodies, and this is at the core of their mission as they seek to
keep the society informed”.
CDFJ noted that
taking photographs of correspondence and documents belonging to the government
and the deputies under the dome, and during public sessions, does not
constitute an infringement, or a violation of the Constitution, or legislation.
“Ministers and lawmakers are public figures, and
what they do under the dome is an issue of public interest, and publishing
their activities is not a criminal offense,” it said.
CDJF said that
journalists do not intrude on ministers and representatives in their homes or
during closed sessions, stressing that the notion of breach of privacy is
legally defined in the Penal Code, and does not apply to a public session of
Parliament.
The center pointed that the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights, which Jordan has signed and ratified, does not sanction
taking measures or establishing regulations that restrict the work of
journalists, and that any measure taken by the authorities should not conflict
with Article 19 of the covenant, which enshrines the freedom to seek, receive,
and impart information of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in
writing, in print, in the form of art, or through any other media.
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