After five days of jail time, a Jordanian journalist was released on bail Sunday. He was expected to be held for 15 days.
Al-Rai journalist Ghazi Mrayat was arrested on Thursday for his July 6 report, saying a "well-informed source" had informed him Jordan security foiled a terror plot. Al-Rai was the first to report the story, which received worldwide news coverage.
Jordan cites a ban on reporting any information on the terror plot, but we couldn't find a publicly released statement issuing the gag order. Jordan-based Al-Rai denied receiving any information. Neither have Al Bawaba journalists.
"We did not receive any official letter that the ban is into effect. It was simply news that was circulated. When there is a gag order not to publish, we usually get an official letter from the authorities in charge," Tareq Momani, Al-Rai editor-in-chief and Jordan Press Association president, told The Jordan Times.
Publicity on the detainment and pressure from local journalists seemed to have led to Mrayat's early release. The Committee to Protect Journalists on Thursday released a statement on the arrest, criticizing Jordan for infringing on free speech rights.
"The Jordanian government is again breaking its promise to never jail journalists or prosecute them in front of the state security court for their reporting," said Sherif Mansour, CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator.
By Hayat Norimine
