Jordan / Middle East & North Africa

As LGBTQ+ communities celebrate Pride this June, many journalists continue to face an ugly reality: simply reporting on this community can open them up to prosecution, physical attacks, threats, arrest, exile, and even death.  Avijit Roy, a Bangladeshi-born American who blogged about LGBTQ+ rights and free expression, was stabbed to death alongside his wife after…

The Committee to Protect Journalists is monitoring press freedom violations related to the ongoing military escalation between Israel, the U.S and Iran and its spillover across the Middle East, including its regional and global impact on journalists and media workers. Since the Iran war broke out on February 28, when the U.S and Israel launched…

Amman, December 23, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Jordanian authorities to explain the arbitrary detention of Jordanian journalist Mohammad Faraj, whose whereabouts are unknown since he was arrested on December 12 upon landing in the capital Amman. Faraj, a 43-year-old journalist with the Beirut-based pro-Hezbollah broadcaster Al-Mayadeen TV, was interrogated upon arrival at…

In a joint statement, the Committee to Protect Journalists and 23 other human rights organizations called on the Jordanian government to immediately reverse the May 14 decision to block 12 websites and lift the ban on all affected platforms unconditionally. The statement urges the government to publicly disclose the legal basis for the actions against…

Beirut, May 16, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Jordanian authorities to lift Wednesday’s ban on a dozen online news outlets for “spreading media poison and attacking Jordan,” following the publication of allegations that the government unfairly profited from aid to Gaza. “The Jordanian Media Commission’s decision to block 12 media websites is deeply alarming,”…

Beirut, March 20, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by the March 17 arrest of Jordanian publisher Omar Al Zayood, following a complaint by former Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh that Zayood’s Al Hashmiyah News site published an inaccurate report about him, and calls on authorities to stop using the cybercrime law to silence…

Istanbul, July 8, 2024—Jordanian authorities must immediately drop all charges against  journalist Ahmed Hassan al-Zoubi, release him from jail, and stop using the Cybercrime Law against journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On July 2, Jordanian authorities arrested al-Zoubi, a satirical journalist and publisher of the Sawalif news website, 11 months after he…

Istanbul, June 14, 2024 — Jordanian authorities must immediately and unconditionally drop all charges against Palestinian-Jordanian journalist Hiba Abu Taha, release her, and allow all journalists to cover issues related to the Israel-Gaza war without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On June 11, the Soloh Court in Amman sentenced Abu…

Istanbul, May 22, 2024—Jordanian authorities must immediately release Syrian student journalist Atia Abu Salem, revoke the deportation order against him, and stop censoring members of the press because of their reporting on the Israel-Gaza war, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On April 9, Jordanian security forces arrested Abu Salem, a Syrian student at…

Beirut, May 8, 2024 — After the Al-Yarmouk TV channel was raided on Tuesday night, the Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday called on Jordanian authorities to ensure the outlet can reopen and work freely without fear of reprisal. On May 7, 2024, Jordanian security forces stormed the Al-Yarmouk offices in the capital, Amman, confiscated…