Crisis in Tahrir

Jordan: Media coverage of corruption case censored for fear of criticism

| 13 March 2010 | Comments (1)

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the order issued by an Amman military court on 10 March banning the media from covering a case of alleged corruption involving several leading Jordanian figures including a former finance minister. The case was exposed in the press several months ago.

“This ban shows a lack of political will on the part of the Jordanian government to combat corruption within the government and state-owned companies,” RSF said. “It was the press that pushed the authorities to act in the first place and now it is clear they fear more revelations in the newspapers. This is unworthy of a country that claims to be democratic. The press must be free to cover all subjects.”

State security court attorney general Yousef Faouri issued an order on 10 March banning the press from “reporting or commenting” on the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company expansion project case “without his personal approval,” a government press release said. The reason given was the need to allow the judicial authorities to work calmly on the case.

The former finance minister and three other people were arrested on 4 March for allegedly taking bribes and failing in their duties in connection with the refinery’s expansion and are now facing up to three years in prison. Their release on bail was rescinded by the military court.

Press reports last year exposing alleged kickbacks in the refinery expansion project pushed the government into taking action and opening an investigation.

BM

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Section: Jordan

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  • Stuart Frewey

    Here I am studying the Jordanian politics as usual.
    when it comes to the corruption in Jordan you need to mention the place-mainly the King himself and his wife queen Rania. This is true if you want to be academically correct. the King is the head of the state, and the country is run by one body, which the department of General intelligence. Nothing in Jordan can pass without this big and powerful department. So as everyone knows the prim minister of Jordan is an employee who listen and do what ever the superior officers in the department of General intelligence impose on him to do.
    The king is claiming illusively true democracy, though a blind man can see the utter opposite case, as he is turning the country to a state of police. the queen is busy in buying and spending and acting like a celebrity, as well as the king.
    the role of King Abdul the second of Jordan is a true failure, he showed ten years of flopping policies, corruption, and human right retardations. As a result, the Jordanian people are under huge financial pressure to a huge degree that crime is more abundant than ever.

    I reckon the International community should speak louder in this issue, if they want to keep the Jordanian people in their side of the equation. Not before long ago, Al Qaeda members condemned the Jordanian palace and accused him of starving thepeople. the Jordanian people liked what they hear as the Al-Qaeda are the only people who can speak out.