In the modern
world, we see the word “digital” added to many forms of business and so many
aspects of our daily lives.
Digitization is seeping into everything, even our
laws and punishments, bringing cybersecurity into existence. As a result of
this, many have fallen victim of the “digital guillotine.”
اضافة اعلان
This new form
of digitized execution has influenced our freedom of speech and raised concerns
over how we express our thoughts and opinions. Not only that; it has also
beheaded our minds, so to speak, as has it silenced factually critical voices, particularly
the ones calling for change.
This is the new
reality for many of us. We cannot deny the need for regulations that can
guarantee the rights of others; yet, unfortunately, the order plays an immense role
in the systematization of the digital world. Hence, these newly-formed
regulations have been misused for the benefit of those in power.
Recently, we
have seen how the guillotine has been used both locally and internationally, to
fall on the voice of freedom coming from those who dare speak their minds. We
live in a truly scary world where one cannot express what is on their mind
regarding certain topics, labeled “taboo”, and rendering one deprived of the
freedom to debate.
In Jordan, the situation
is not so different from other countries using the same approach to silence voices
asking for change. Systematic chaos and disorder has been a crucial tool in the
hands of those in power.
"Whereas
the Jordanian constitution guarantees freedom of opinion and expression, Article
11 of the '
Cybercrime Law' is used as a legal justification for perverting the
constitutional right to freedom of opinion and expression," Issa Mahasneh of the
Jordanian Open Source Association, said
during an interview for Smex.org in 2021.
This quote clearly
showcases the state of affairs in Jordan. It could also lead you to ask
yourself why people are persecuted for using the very rights stipulated in the
constitution. These imported ideologies have been rooted in the system as a
result of imperial colonialism.
It is not clear
why this approach is being implemented, yet this does not negate the urge to
execute such unjustified deeds. Journalists were at first the sole victims of
such abuse and harassment, however, others have been added to the list of
victims since.
Criticism is
not a threat; it is a tool to inform others of different points of view,
allowing us to engage and enhance our system. As a nation, we must learn to
empower our youth to speak up and express their views, and should not use fear
as a tool to subjugate the masses.
Moreover, as
Arabs, we are the victims of our governments, laws, and international double
standards under the pretext of spreading and implementing human rights in the
Arab world. For example, during the recent war crimes in the Gaza Strip and
Sheik Jarrah, we saw how Arabs were denied the simple right to express their
views by social media tycoons and western governments.
Nonetheless,
this only proves what we are, on daily basis, dealing with censorship,
silencing, and persecution. The digital world is an open space and was formed
for people to stand, declare, and state their thoughts and opinions. So, if
this right is to be taken away from us, what is left? Where and how else can
anyone speak up?
This is a call
for everyone to take a stand and demands our rights. We cannot live in a world
trying to stifle us; we shall speak, we shall never be silenced as we are a
part of the system and a part of this world.
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