Jordan: poet sentenced for “slandering Islam”
Poet Islam Samhan has been sentenced to one year in prison and fined of 10,000 dinars (approx. US$14,100), after he used verses from the Quran in his poetry.
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Five journalists sentenced to prison in Jordan
Five Jordanian journalists have been sentenced to prison terms in two separate defamation cases in the past week. Editor Taher al-Adwan and reporter Sahar Qassam, of Al Arab al Youm, and former editor of Ad Dustour Osama Sharif and Ad Dustour reporter Fayez Louzi were each sentenced on 13 March to three months for ‘insulting the judiciary and commenting on its rulings’.
Jordan restricts Internet cafés
The Jordanian ministry of the interior has announced increased restrictions on Internet cafés, which are widespread in the country’s cities.