AMMAN — Jordan's press freedom ranking has fallen to 146th out of
180 countries, according to a report by Reporters Without Borders released on
World Press Freedom Day.
اضافة اعلان
The Kingdom has fallen 26 places from its previous position
of 120 in 2022, according to Jo24.
Reporters Without Borders highlighted that Jordanian media
remains under government control, with many television channels still
semi-governmental, including Al-Mamlaka TV.
The authorities, they said, also control media outlets by
appointing their chief editors and limiting their finances. Furthermore, media
outlets with privileged access are favored over others when covering events in
certain parts of the country.
Legal framework restricting press freedomAccording to the report, Jordanian authorities strengthened
their control over information flow following the revision of the Press and
Publication Law in 2012.
The government has blocked hundreds of websites, and the
Cybercrime Law adopted in 2015 has resulted in the arrest of individuals for
posting on social media.
Journalists have been pursued under anti-terrorism laws,
which are not transparent.
The report states that the authorities can prosecute
journalists before the judiciary and force them to pay exorbitant costs, making
it challenging for private media outlets to survive.
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