Jordan has enacted what human rights organisations have described as a “draconian” anti-cybercrime law.
The legislation, which will come into force in a month’s time, punishes with prison sentences and fines the publication of content that is deemed “immoral”, insulting to religion or “harmful to national unity”.
It also condemns those who publish names or photos of police officers on the internet and prohibits certain measures that protect a user’s identity.
More than a dozen human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch, issued a statement saying: “The vague provisions open the door for the Jordanian executive branch to punish individuals for exercising their right to freedom of expression, forcing judges to convict citizens in most cases.
