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FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6856
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 000326 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2020 
TAGS: KDEM KMPI KPAL KWMN PREL PGOV PHUM JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN: A/S POSNER'S FOCUS ON DEMOCRATIC AND HUMAN 
RIGHTS REFORM, PART 1 
 
REF: A. AMMAN 283 
     ¶B. AMMAN 220 
 
Classified By: Ambassador R. Stephen Beecroft for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( 
d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Michael Posner, Assistant Secretary for 
Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL), pressed the 
Jordanian government during his January 10-11 visit to move 
forward on the implementation of a number of high-priority 
political and human rights reforms.  This cable describes A/S 
Posner's side-meetings with non-governmental contacts during 
his Amman visit.  Meetings with government officials and 
details from the bilateral Political Reform Dialogue will be 
reported septel.  Additionally, S/P Director Anne-Marie 
Slaughter joined A/S Posner for a dinner with Jordanian 
women's rights activists (ref B). 
 
¶2. (C) During A/S Posner's individual program, he met with 
Minister of Labor Ibrahim Omoush, Minister of Justice Ayman 
Odeh, Ministry of Interior Secretary General Abu Jammous, 
Jordan Press Association President Abdel Wahab Zgheilat, 
Freedom House Country Director Lama Khreis, Christian 
religious leaders, and freedom of expression activists.  With 
his interlocutors, A/S Posner specifically focused on the 
need to address problems in Jordan's troubled democratic and 
human rights record, particularly the existing flawed 
electoral law, the status of women's rights, and limits to 
freedom of expression.  He also expressed an interest in 
Jordanian efforts to combat forced labor, improve prison 
conditions, investigate and prosecute police abuse, end 
administrative detention, and promote judicial reform.  End 
summary. 
 
Freedom of Expression 
--------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) Restrictions on the freedoms of media and expression 
were raised with both governmental and non-governmental 
contacts.  A major point of discussion was the high degree of 
self-censorship evident in Jordanian media.  Freedom of 
expression activists agreed with a 2009 survey which reported 
that over 90 percent of local journalists practice 
self-censorship.  They also stated that their greatest 
concern is the threat of high fines, up to 20,000 USD, under 
the Press and Publications Law and the threat of 
imprisonment.  For instance, the penal code contains 
provisions making it illegal to publish offensive material 
about the royal family, foreign heads of state, or religious 
beliefs.  A/S Posner highlighted these restrictions with 
Justice Minister Odeh and asked him to consider eliminating 
restrictions which hinder freedom of expression as part of 
the government's overall efforts to reform the penal code via 
a temporary law. 
 
¶4. (C) A/S Posner also raised freedom of expression concerns 
with the Jordan Press Association (JPA) Abdel Wahab Zgheilat, 
who stated that the constitution guarantees such freedoms and 
claimed throughout the meeting that there was a very high 
degree of media freedom.  Although Zgheilat clearly wanted to 
talk more about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its 
impact on public attitudes in Jordan, A/S Posner was able to 
get him to comment on the new government's code of conduct 
with the media.  Zgheilat approved of the code, but believed 
the code had nothing to do with media freedom.  Instead, he 
believed it would merely "untangle" the financial 
relationship between the government and media.  For instance, 
the new code that prevents a journalist from working both in 
the media and in the government at the same time clarifies 
the relationship and hopefully eliminates conflicts of 
interest.  (Note: Zgheilat and Chief Editor of the 
government-owned Al Rai newspaper predictably saw no 
contradiction in government ownership of media institutions, 
such as Al Rai or Jordan Radio and Television.  End Note.) 
In addition, the government will cancel all current 
periodical subscriptions to eliminate any conflicts of 
interest.  A/S Posner relayed the concern of some activists 
that the new code may have unintended consequences.  Weekly 
papers, for instance, rely heavily on government 
subscriptions to maintain their circulation levels and 
journalists often rely on second jobs, including government 
positions, to support their families.  As such, the 
government needs to consider potential negative consequences 
with changes to the code.  Zgheilat did not agree with A/S 
Posner's assessment of these potential side-effects. (Note: 
Zgheilat was defensive throughout the meeting and was less 
willing to engage substantively on media freedom issues than 
government officials A/S Posner met with during the visit. 
End Note) 
 
Religious Freedom 
----------------- 
 
AMMAN 00000326  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶5. (C)  A/S Posner discussed the level of religious freedom 
in Jordan with Reverend Abassi from the Baptist Church and 
Father Jaar from the Catholic Church.  Both interlocutors 
were critical of the Jordanian government and felt that 
inter-faith relations have deteriorated over the past couple 
decades.  They spoke passionately about the perceived growing 
lack of tolerance and increased conservatism in Jordanian 
schools and mosques.  They also affirmed that Christian 
converts fear for their lives and violent reprisal from their 
families.  They are disturbed by the lack of effort by the 
royal court or government to stop these trends and criticized 
government officials for "trumpeting" the Amman Message to 
outside visitors but failing to apply its tenets 
domestically.  Father Jaar also spoke about the shear lack of 
support from his fellow Christians, Jordanian citizens, and 
the government for his youth initiatives that bring together 
Israeli Jews and Jordanian Christians and Muslims.  Unable to 
find financial or even moral support, Father Jaar is planning 
to stop such initiatives. 
 
¶6. (C)  The church leaders also spoke about official 
restrictions placed on religious freedom, including the 
complex process to obtain official recognition for a 
religion.  Evangelical denominations and other religious 
minorities have been unable to receive recognition, thereby 
restricting their ability to operate fully and establish 
their own personal status courts.  Reverend Abassi felt 
Evangelicals are making progress and noted that Prince Ghazi, 
the king's religious affairs adviser, is believed to be more 
open to granting Evangelicals recognition.  Part of the 
problem, according the Abassi and Jaar, is intra-Christian 
fighting in the Council of Churches, which limits Christians' 
ability to join together to advocate for greater religious 
freedom. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7. (C) Comment: A/S Posner's discussions with human rights, 
religious freedom, women's rights (ref B), and freedom of 
expression activists were open and frank.  Jordan has 
numerous committed and highly capable organizations and 
activists that work tirelessly to advance democracy and human 
rights.  These activists are generally able to operate 
without significant interference but are often frustrated by 
the government's lack of political will to undertake serious 
reform efforts.  Most often these organization and activists 
welcome U.S. government pressure to help convince the 
government to take action even though at times they do not 
want to be seen publicly as working closely with the Embassy. 
 As the U.S.-Jordan dialogue on democracy and human rights 
moves forward every effort should be made to consult and 
coordinate with non-state actors and, when possible, support 
their work to develop and strengthen grassroots efforts and 
home grown reform. End Comment. 
¶8. (U) This cable was cleared by A/S Posner. 
Beecroft