×

Our award-winning reporting has moved

Context provides news and analysis on three of the world’s most critical issues:

climate change, the impact of technology on society, and inclusive economies.

Jordan - Iraqi opposition TV station's staff to be charged with terrorism

by Reporters Without Borders | Reporters Without Borders
Friday, 13 June 2014 10:38 GMT

* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Reporters Without Borders deplores a Jordanian state security court prosecutor's decision yesterday to bring terrorism charges against Amman-based Iraqi opposition TV station Al-Abasiya's owner and 13 journalists, three days after their arrest during a police raid and the station's closure.

RWB calls for the immediate release of all those detained during the raid, and the withdrawal of all charges.

A judicial source told Agence France-Presse that the prosecutor was accusing the 14 detainees of "using the Internet to carry out acts that exposed Jordanians to attack." They are facing possible five-year jail sentences.

Jordan's broadcasting commission separately told AFP that Al-Abasiya had been broadcasting illegally from Jordan, without a licence.

Jordan is ranked 141st out of 180 countries in the 2014 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.

<br/>
-->