Guv and Mr. Rifai, thanks for listening:
AMMAN – The government on Sunday endorsed the final draft of the Information Systems Crime Law (also known as the Cyber Crimes Law) after amending several parts of the legislation that drew controversy and criticism from various human rights and media activists.
(See post from one media activist, Nas at The Black Iris, here)
“Prime Minister Samir Rifai instructed the relevant ministers to amend the previous draft of the temporary Information Systems Crimes Law out of the government’s commitment to His Majesty King Abdullah’s vision of securing more protection for public freedoms,” Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Ali Ayed told reporters in a joint statement with Minister of Information and Communications Technology Marwan Juma following yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.
Ayed added that the premier had instructed the concerned ministers to review the sections of the law that stirred criticism and opposition from the electronic media and press freedom activists.
“The amendments come from the government in a gesture of goodwill to confirm the government’s keenness to accept criticism and open channels of communication with various institutions to achieve justice and guarantee freedom of the press within the framework of personal freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution,” Ayed said,
He added that the amendments were made after taking into consideration feedback from media institutions and legal experts,
Here is what caused the controversy and criticism, Article 8, which said:
As part of the new amendments, the government deleted Article 8, which stipulated that “anyone who intentionally sends or disseminates data or information via the Internet or any information system that involves defamation, contempt or slander of any person shall be fined an amount not less than (100) one hundred Jordanian dinars and not exceeding (2,000) two thousand Jordanian dinars”.
Juma said this step was taken due to the fact that Article 15 of the same law addresses this issue, adding that the new version of the law includes an amendment to Article 12B, deleting the paragraph that said “ةsuch data and information or spread ideas affecting national security or foreign relations of the Kingdom, as well as public safety or the national economyة,” as the aim of the legislation is to effectively prosecute cyber crimes.
Imagine how loosely defamation, contempt or slander could be defined. :O
Well done! Not the end of all things, by far, since the very inclusion of such a paragraph is very disturbing, but a good start and sign of good faith.
**Jordan made The Drudge Report and Breitbart with this move in the right direction
Yay!