Jordan authorities blocked on Friday access to local website dedicated to democracy, rights and equality petitions. Internet users in the country will not be able to access Namdi.net pages through any Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from within Jordan. Access to the website remain possible in other countries of the world.
The Government, represented by the Media Commission, base its decisions to block websites on articles of the 2012 amended Press and Publications Law that, at the time, received significant criticism, locally and internationally, because of its stipulations that restricts establishing and operating Internet websites.
Al-Qadi says that none of the website objectives, or what it publishes, meet the definitions stipulated for news websites per the law. He expressed deep regret and disappointment for “blocking an instrumental volunteer-managed tool that is only supplementing government’s publicly-stated objectives to enhance transparency in governance and enabling citizens to participate in decision making- both expressed clearly by Jordan’s third national plan part of Open Government Partnership and the Decentralization project”.
Al-Qadi stressed that blocking websites represents an unjustified restriction on freedom of expression. “Blockage imminently reduces internet freedom space to an extent that impedes volunteer-driven independent initiatives of society members, restricting them from taking role in boosting development and monitoring of government’s performance.”
For more Information Contact:
Fadi Al-Qadi