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PP RUEHBC RUEHDH RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHAM #0317/01 0350856
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 040856Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6843
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 000317 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR NEA/PPD, NEA/ELA AND DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/03/2020 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SOCI JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN: NEA DAS WITTES PRESSES FOR INCREASED 
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION 
 
REF: AMMAN 252 
 
Classified By: Ambassador R. Stephen Beecroft for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( 
d) 
 
¶1.  (S) Summary:  In the wake of the Secretary's speech on 
Internet freedoms and a recent court decision subjecting 
Jordan's online media to the problematic Press and 
Publications law, NEA DAS Tamara Wittes met during her 
January 26-28 visit with the King's media advisor to discuss 
official actions affecting the media.  DAS Wittes also hosted 
an on-the-record roundtable with five editors of online news 
sites and two bloggers, which received wide coverage in the 
electronic media.  In both events, she pressed for the GOJ 
needs to take significant steps to guarantee freedom of 
expression (including in the press and on the Internet).  End 
Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
King's Advisor on GOJ Approach to Media 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (S) DAS Wittes met for 75 minutes on January 26 with 
media advisor Ayman Safadi to review the government's 
approach to the media.  Safadi noted the presence of at least 
seven dailies, dozens of weeklies, and scores of onlines 
sites as proof of media freedoms here.  He complained, 
however, of the unprofessionalism of Jordan's media and the 
ways in which government officials and journalists engage in 
corrupt practices for personal benefit.  Safadi asserted that 
the King had instructed new PM Samir Al-Rifai in his letter 
of designation to clean up corrupt government practices, 
including relations with the media.  "The King indicated that 
we need clear laws, clear legislation, and a code of 
conduct," Safadi said.  "His Majesty is really committed this 
time." 
 
¶3.  (S) Safadi pointed out that the PM had responded to the 
King's instructions by issuing a "Code of Conduct" regulating 
the government's relationship with the media, which was 
announced at the end of December. The code specifically 
targeted corrupt practices by government officials who 
provided financial support to journalists in exchange for 
favorable coverage. In particular, it instructs ministries to 
brief reporters regularly, refrain from appointing 
journalists to a public department to avoid conflicts of 
interest, cancel subscriptions with all publications, only 
purchase media from newsstands, and adhere to new criteria 
regulating advertising. 
 
¶4.  (S) Safadi also discussed what he called the "unwelcome" 
decision by Jordan's highest court, the Court of Cassation, 
to place online media under the 1998 Press and Publications 
law, most recently amended in 2007 (reftel).  Following an 
uproar by onlines over the decision, the PM's political 
advisor, Samih Al-Ma'ayitah, had reassured online 
representatives and bloggers that the government did not 
intend to apply the law and require them to register or face 
a penalty of JD 5,000-10,000 ($7,000-14,000) but that it 
would apply the law in its regulation of content.  Despite 
problems with the current law, the government did not want to 
pass new legislation without a seated Parliament because "the 
optics wouldn't look right." The government did intend to 
pass within weeks a cyber crimes law that would supersede the 
Court of Cassation's ruling by specifically regulating 
onlines, Safadi asserted. 
 
¶5.  (S) The Minister of Information Technology and 
Communication was seeking input for the legislation from 
"stakeholders" to ensure that it met international best 
practices, he added.  Safadi provided few details about the 
draft legislation's content except to say that it differed 
greatly from a version circulating online.  DAS Wittes 
stressed the U.S. commitment to democracy and human rights, 
including freedom of expression regardless of the media, as 
laid out by two of the Secretary's recent speeches.  Freedom 
of expression would be particularly important to Jordan as it 
entered a sensitive period when public debate would be 
essential to the soundness of a new electoral law and to 
encouraging wider public participation in the election of a 
new parliament, she said. DAS Wittes noted that the presence 
of several different laws regulating the media contributed to 
uncertainty about which laws applied and had a chilling 
effect on the freedom of expression. 
 
----------------------- 
Roundtable with Onlines 
----------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C) Separately on January 27, DAS Wittes hosted a 
 
AMMAN 00000317  002 OF 002 
 
 
45-minute on-the-record roundtable with five editors of 
online news sites and two bloggers.  She emphasized the U.S. 
commitment to democracy and human rights, freedom of 
expression--regardless of the medium--and the need for 
uncensored public debate over proposed election legislation 
and parliamentary elections.  She also stressed that 
democratic change could not be imposed from outside but must 
come from the will of the people.  Reporters asked about U.S. 
funding for civil society, proposed U.S. legislation to 
designate satellite channels as terrorist entities, whether 
the U.S. would help expand media freedoms in Jordan, and 
whether she had raised the right to free speech and a free 
press in her meetings.  DAS Wittes elaborated on MEPI funding 
for civil society, including the $5 million NET RFA, and 
explained that the HR2778 legislation had not become law and 
was not necessarily the view of the U.S. Administration. She 
also  noted that she stressed to GOJ interlocutors the 
importance of freedom of expression regardless of the medium. 
 Subsequent domestic local reporting based on the discussion 
received positive, detailed coverage in many onlines, 
including some which did not have reporters at the 
roundtable.  One website that did not attend the roundtable 
did carry a negative piece on January 28, opining that the 
"meeting" contributed to the impression that onlines had 
sought foreign support in their fight with the government. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7.  (C) As stressed by DAS Wittes in meetings with GOJ 
officials and with others, the government needs to take 
significant steps to guarantee freedom of expression 
(including in the press and on the Internet), given the 
existence of numerous laws that go to extreme lengths to 
regulate media content, including Jordan's penal code of 
1960, the Press and Publications law, State Security Court 
law, Protection of State Secrets and Documents Law, and the 
Contempt of Court Law.  New legislation would ideally also 
give parties an appropriate legal means to pursue recourse 
for alleged slander, libel or defamation on the Internet, 
which is a legitimate phenomena identified by Safadi and even 
by online editors themselves. 
 
¶8.  (U) DAS Wittes cleared this cable. 
Beecroft