Cybercrimes Law Challenges Press Freedom
The renewed case of journalist Ziad Nassarates highlights the extent to which Jordan's Cyber Crimes Law impacts freedom of the press and public discourse. He was sued under public prosecution based on his publication of clips related to Iranian missiles, citing Article 17 of the law, which punishes inciting sedition or violence with imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of up to 20,000 dinars. At the same time, data indicates a noticeable increase in the number of cases handled by the Cyber Crime Unit, rising from approximately 24,700 cases in 2024 to about 29,400 in 2025, reflecting an 18.8% increase. These cases include hacking, blackmail, and data theft, with differences in the nature of the cases between individual digital crimes and political or journalistic issues. There is ongoing debate about the extent to which the law overlaps with freedom of expression, especially concerning journalistic and critical content, amid warnings that certain legal terms could lead to unjustified restrictions on freedoms.
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