Press association, media watchdog call for release of Sarayanews journalists

AMMAN — Urging all media outlets to be professional when reporting on the case of Muath Kasasbeh, the Jordan Press Association (JPA) and the Centre for Defending the Freedom of Journalists (CDFJ) on Thursday called for the release of two journalists who were detained Wednesday upon an order by the State Security Court (SSC) prosecutor general. 

Hashem Khalidi, publisher of Sarayanews, and Seif Obeidat, a journalist at the news website, were detained for 14 days in the Marka prison on charges of promoting terrorist groups’ ideologies and engaging in acts that might endanger the lives of Jordanians after they published an article related to Kasasbeh.

On December 25, 2014, the attorney general and the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army called on the media to deal with the issue of Kasasbeh, a Jordanian pilot held by the so-called Islamic State (IS), responsibly and not to publish news that could endanger his safety or harm national interests. 

Commenting on the detention, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani told The Jordan Times that Jordan is a country that enjoys the rule of law and the law will be applied equally to all. 

In a statement sent to The Jordan Times, the JPA voiced its rejection of the journalists’ detention and called for releasing them on bail.

Noting that the detention is a violation of relevant laws such as the Press and Publications Law, the JPA said it would harm Jordan’s image and ranking in press freedom reports. 

The association also described the prosecutor general’s decision to shut down the website as strange since no final ruling has been issued yet.

At the same time, the JPA called on all types of media outlets to be careful and not publish anything that might be considered promotion for terrorist groups or that could endanger the lives of Jordanians.

Media outlets should be careful and resort to accurate and specialised sources when publishing anything about the captive pilot, the JPA statement said, noting that the current stage is critical and requires supporting the country’s efforts to combat terrorism.

The JPA also urged the concerned authorities to provide media outlets with the necessary information so they do not publish inaccurate news or spread rumours.

CDFJ also expressed its concern over the detention of the two Sarayanews journalists.

“Journalists should not be detained or imprisoned because of what they publish according to the Press and Publications Law,” a CDFJ statement said.

“We renew our rejection of detaining journalists and will take legal action to secure their release, and continue efforts with official and judicial authorities to end this case that harms the image of Jordan,” CDFJ President Nidal Mansour said.

Mansour also called on media outlets to be careful when publishing anything related to the pilot.

“Press freedom does not mean publishing misleading information... that might endanger his life and affect the track of negotiations to secure his release.”

The CDFJ urged media outlets and social media activists to stop circulating rumours and causing chaos, expressing hope that the government will play a more active role in providing information.

Sarayanews published a statement on several websites after being blocked, saying it has “high confidence” in the judiciary and adding that the media is there to defend national causes.