Two Jordanian journalists were arrested for infringing the press and publication and cybercrime laws

When the Jfranews website accused the Jordanian Finance Minister, Mr Omar Malhas, of tax evasion, the minister filed a complaint against the news website. The general prosecutor arrested the editor-in-chief, Mr Shadi al-Zinati, and the editor, Mr Omar Sabra al-Mahrama, who have been charged under the Jordanian Press and Publication Law and Cybercrime Law. Mr Sherif Mansour, Committee to Protect Journalists MENA Programme Coordinator, stressed that the ‘Jordanian authorities must not use broad and vaguely defined laws to imprison journalists and stifle media freedom.’ To denounce the throttle of freedom of expression, the Jordanian journalists held a sit-in at the Jordanian Press Association to demand the release of the two journalists.