AMMAN — Journalists protested Monday over the arbitrary transfer of colleagues from the
Jordan Radio and Television Corporation (JRTV) to the Department of the National Library. Journalists gathered in front of the
Jordan Press Association (JPA) building to voice their rejection of the decision and called for its retraction.
اضافة اعلان
Several journalists said they believed that this government decision comes as a prelude to a set of similar measures that will be imposed on the “press family” and their association.
Protesters criticized the stalling by the government in dealing with the case of the JRTV staffers, despite promising to resolve their case since August.
Addressing the assembled crowds of protesting journalists,
Basil Okoor, the editor-in-chief of Jordanian news website Jo24, said: “This has never happened before, and this measure is a prelude to a broader ‘filtering’ process, aimed at testing the press family’s reaction.”
Okoor added that all colleagues in press and media institutions are vulnerable. “So today we stand up to say ‘no’, the press family will never accept that, because these arbitrary decisions will have their impact on the careers and livelihoods of our colleagues,” he said.
A JPA member at the protest, Adnan Barieh, said: “As journalists we have formed a committee to defend colleagues who were transferred without a legal or administrative context.”
“Our stance today is to restore the right of our colleagues, who include three members of the JPA and seven colleagues practicing journalism and media work. The meaning of their transfer to the Department of the National Library is that they will not return to their profession,” Barieh said.
He pointed out that the JRTV employees evaluation at their old job was “very good” to “excellent”, and that while the transfer decision was issued, they never even receive an official letter informing them of it.
Read more National news
.jpg)
.jpg)
