Jordan
12.09.00
Urgent Interventions
Jordan: expulsion from journalist's union
URGENT APPEAL – THE OBSERVATORY
JOR 001 / 0009 / OBS 093
Expulsion from journalist’s union
Jordan
12th September 2000
The Observatory for the protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Jordan.
Brief description of the situation :
The Observatory has learnt from Reporters Without Borders and Article 19 that on 5 September 2000, Nidal Mansour, editor-in-chief of the weekly Al Hadath and president of the Center for defending journalist’s freedom, was expelled for life from the Jordanian journalist’s union. Membership to the union is compulsory for journalists.
According to the information received, Nidal Mansour was expelled for life from the Jordanian journalist’s union “because he did not work as a journalist full time”, according to the union’s vice-president. The day before, the disciplinary council, which was in charge of the investigation about the journalist, recommended banning him from practicing his profession for a year for “receiving foreign aid [for his organisation], thus violating Jordanian law”. Nidal Mansour has denied these accusations and stated that he would appeal to the High Court. It should be noted that three other journalists, Bilal al-Tal, Mahassen Imam and George Hawatmeh, also convicted for receiving foreign aid for organisations that the lead, were cleared by the same union on 16th August 2000.
The Observatory is gravely concerned by this situation and the banning of Nidal Mansour which seems to be a direct attempt to penalize him for his work as a human rights defender. The Observatory also recalls Article 13 of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by United Nations General Assembly on 9th December 1998 which mandates that “Everyone has the rights, individually and in association with others, to solicit, receive and utilize resources for the express purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms through peaceful means, in accordance with article 3 of the present Declaration.”
Actions requested:
Please write to Jordanian journalists’ union urging them to:
i. revoke their decision to expel Nidal Mansour and allow him to carry out his activities;
ii. ensure the full freedom of action of human rights defenders in Jordan in conformity with the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9th 1998; with this aim, ensure that the above mentioned lawyers and human rights defenders be reintegrated in the Jordanian journalists’ union;
iii. generally, guarantee the effective respect of fundamental human rights and freedoms in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international and regional Pacts and Covenants ratified by Jordan.
Addresses :
Jordan Press Association, President, Seifi Sherif, Fax +962 66 46 23 612
Prime Minister of Jordan, His excellency Ali Abu Ragheb, Office of the Prime Minister, Amman, Jordan, Fax : + 962 6 464 25 20
Geneva - Paris, 12th September 2000
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need. 1998 Human Rights Prize of The French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line: Fax : +33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel: FIDH +33 (0) 1 48 55 20 11 OMCT: +41 (0) 22 809 49
39 E.Mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch
JOR 001 / 0009 / OBS 093
Expulsion from journalist’s union
Jordan
12th September 2000
The Observatory for the protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Jordan.
Brief description of the situation :
The Observatory has learnt from Reporters Without Borders and Article 19 that on 5 September 2000, Nidal Mansour, editor-in-chief of the weekly Al Hadath and president of the Center for defending journalist’s freedom, was expelled for life from the Jordanian journalist’s union. Membership to the union is compulsory for journalists.
According to the information received, Nidal Mansour was expelled for life from the Jordanian journalist’s union “because he did not work as a journalist full time”, according to the union’s vice-president. The day before, the disciplinary council, which was in charge of the investigation about the journalist, recommended banning him from practicing his profession for a year for “receiving foreign aid [for his organisation], thus violating Jordanian law”. Nidal Mansour has denied these accusations and stated that he would appeal to the High Court. It should be noted that three other journalists, Bilal al-Tal, Mahassen Imam and George Hawatmeh, also convicted for receiving foreign aid for organisations that the lead, were cleared by the same union on 16th August 2000.
The Observatory is gravely concerned by this situation and the banning of Nidal Mansour which seems to be a direct attempt to penalize him for his work as a human rights defender. The Observatory also recalls Article 13 of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by United Nations General Assembly on 9th December 1998 which mandates that “Everyone has the rights, individually and in association with others, to solicit, receive and utilize resources for the express purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms through peaceful means, in accordance with article 3 of the present Declaration.”
Actions requested:
Please write to Jordanian journalists’ union urging them to:
i. revoke their decision to expel Nidal Mansour and allow him to carry out his activities;
ii. ensure the full freedom of action of human rights defenders in Jordan in conformity with the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9th 1998; with this aim, ensure that the above mentioned lawyers and human rights defenders be reintegrated in the Jordanian journalists’ union;
iii. generally, guarantee the effective respect of fundamental human rights and freedoms in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international and regional Pacts and Covenants ratified by Jordan.
Addresses :
Jordan Press Association, President, Seifi Sherif, Fax +962 66 46 23 612
Prime Minister of Jordan, His excellency Ali Abu Ragheb, Office of the Prime Minister, Amman, Jordan, Fax : + 962 6 464 25 20
Geneva - Paris, 12th September 2000
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need. 1998 Human Rights Prize of The French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line: Fax : +33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel: FIDH +33 (0) 1 48 55 20 11 OMCT: +41 (0) 22 809 49
39 E.Mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch