It was just four years ago that HM King Abdullah II commented on The Black Iris, the well known Jordanian blog. You can see His Majesty’s comment here.

In that comment the King said: “We are a country of freedom, tolerance, diversity and openness, and everyone has the right to express their thoughts – no matter what they are”

That was in 2008.

Tomorrow, our Parliament will vote on a law that, if passed, will basically make the Black Iris an illegal site.

As far as I know, the Black Iris’s blogger, Naseem Tarawnah, is not a member of the press syndicate. His site, which the government might deem as a “news site” is not registered and licensed by the government.

The new law basically gives the government the right to block Nassem’s site.

We all know that some Jordanian new sites are unprofessional and have cause many people harm. But the answer is not to put a law in place that attempts to kill our freedom of expression and kill our emerging internet content industry.

I can’t recognize this country anymore.

How did we get from the King’s comment in 2008 to here?


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7 responses to “Once upon a time HM King Abdullah II commented on a blog”

  1. rewan Avatar
    rewan

    Is parliament voting Monday or Tuesday?

  2. Hareega Avatar
    Hareega

    Unprofessional news sites should not be banned. If they want to ban unprofessional institutions they should start with every ministry in the country.

    Harmful institutions should be banned, starting with the Jordanian parilament

  3. Love jordan Avatar
    Love jordan

    Several years ago I was so proud to work on ‘developing’ major Jordanian cities, after a couple of moths in my work and after meeting the people who manage these organizations and after one frustration after the other, I totally understood how we couldn’t become the Arab’s Silicon Valley, some Jordanians have a wonderful way in spoiling and destroying anything good and beautiful, a lot of them can’t see the meaning of innovation without making sure that it meets their own benefit. Sadely I’m losing hope in any bright and successful future in the coming days. God protects us and show us the right way forward.

  4. Zmadame Avatar
    Zmadame

    Yes that situation is very bad. It seems like there is no freedom anywhere anymore. Anyone that says to you that we do have freedom, is simply just living in a life of made up dreams and fabrications…

  5. Rana Goussous Avatar
    Rana Goussous

    Ahamd, any thoughts about how to deal with these unprofessional unreliable news sites that are becoming so popular by the day? how does one start work on elevating the profession .. it’s becoming embarassing.

  6. Hani Obaid Avatar
    Hani Obaid

    Collateral damage. Unfortunately once this privilege is taken it will be very difficult to give it back.

  7. Bayan Avatar
    Bayan

    Jordan does have the potential to be Arab Silicon Valey, but and only but if there are tight quality control standards that guide, monitor and control this industry. Sites that do not meet the standards should be blocked, from my perspective this is as important as drug control and food control quality standards as it is minds of all ages we are addressing here