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| Conviction of former MP, Toujan al-Faisal | Date: 17-05-2002 |
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The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network protests against the latest conviction of former MP Toujan al-Faisal in Jordan. The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) is deeply concerned over the conviction of journalist and former member of the Jordanian Parliament, Toujan al-Faisal. Al-Faisal, who was arrested in march, was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment in the Jordanian court, May 16, on charges including publishing “lies that hurt the state’s integrity and honour”, inciting “disturbances and violent killings” and “uttering words” before another deemed to be “detrimental to his religious feelings”. Al-Faisal received the harshest sentence allowed on such charges and she has no right to appeal the sentence. Her conviction is one of the recent worrying incidents in the deterioration of freedom of expression in Jordan. After the 11th September, a number of new laws was hastily promulgated by Royal decree, placing limitations on the freedom of expression by making illegal a number of vaguely defined offences in relation to harming national unity; harming the prestige, integrity and reputation of the state. A part from al-Faisal, three journalists has been arrested. Freedom of expression is the issue of a book-report on press freedom in Jordan, recently published in English and Arabic in the framework of the EMHRN. * Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network is deeply worried about the grave violations of the right to freedom of expression, and reminds the Jordanian government of Article 19, concerning the rights to freedom of expression, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Jordan has ratified. Furthermore, the EMHRN reminds of the entering into force of the EU-Jordan Association Agreement, 1 May 2002, and urges Jordan to uphold to Article 2 of the Agreement which stipulates that: Respect for the democratic principles and fundamental human rights established by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights shall inspire the Parties’ domestic and external policies and shall constitute an essential element of this agreement. The EMHRN asks the EU to urgently react upon the sentence and the imprisonment of al-Faisal. For further information please contact: Marc Schade-Poulsen, Executive Director / Marit Floe Joergensen, Information Officer Euro Mediterranean Human Rights Network, Wilders Plads 8 H, DK-1403 Copenhagen K, Denmark Tel: +45-32 69 89 12 / Fax: +45-32 69 89 01 E-mail: info@euromedrights.net |
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