Jordanian Editor Jailed on the Charge of Incitement Against the Regime

Last Wednesday, Al Akhbar reported that nearly 1,500 Jordanians held a demonstrated demanding the release of 19 imprisoned activist charged with insulting the king, with the larger agenda of calling for political reforms. “The country is being detoryed becauses reformists are jailed while the corrupt are protected,” former MP Ahmad Kafawin of the Muslim Brotherhood said speaking to a crowd chanting “The people demand the reform of the regime.”

On Sunday, 13 additional activists were accused of insulting the king and rioting following a demonstation. This group of 13 activists were protesting the detention of six activists detained last month on the charges. As rights organizations make demands for the government to release all detainees,  Jamal Muhtaseb, chief editor of the Jordanian Gerasa News, was charged with “incitement against he regime.” Muhtaseb, if convicted, faces 15 years in jail . Jordan’s Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists relased a statemnt calling for his immediate release. “The terrorizing of journalists continues in this country, and governments are not meeting their obligations and continue to detain journalists,” said CDFJ president Nidal Mansur.