Jordanian activist Kamil al-Zoubi faces several charges in detention related to his freedom of expression
Name(s):
Kamil al-Zoubi
Status:
Free
Year of birth:
1977
Profession:
Political activist
Nationality:
Jordanian
Date of arrest:
Kamil al-Zoubi is a Jordanian political activist who has been repeatedly arrested for exercising his right to freedom of expression. Since 2014, he was detained in prison about 10 times for periods ranging from two weeks to nine months. In addition, he was arrested and detained for a day or two pending investigations approximately 20 times. He was last arrested in Ramtha on June 3, 2024. He was charged under the Cybercrime Law for social media posts he shared concerning the war in Gaza. On July 13, 2024, al-Zoubi was released.
Kamil al-Zoubi is a Jordanian political activist. Since the beginning of the Arab Spring in late 2010, he participated in peaceful protests calling for reforms and accountability for corruption.
Since 2014, he was detained in prison about 10 times for periods ranging from two weeks to nine months. In addition, he was arrested and detained for a day or two pending investigations approximately 20 times.
Al-Zoubi was first arrested by agents of the General Intelligence Directorate (GID) in Irbid on December 22, 2014, after publishing posts on his social media criticizing the expenses of the Royal Palaces, the allocations for King Abdullah II and his entourage, the lack of reforms, and state corruption. When he was later presented before the State Security Court, he was charged with “insulting the king and undermining the regime”. In January 2015, he was released on bail and placed under a travel ban.
On September 3, 2018, al-Zoubi and the activist Khaled al-Fakhri Abu Islam were arrested by members of the GID in Irbid, following a demonstration they took part in, demanding the King for accountability regarding state corruption and calling for reform. They were then referred to the State Security Court and detained for 14 days pending investigation. They were both charged with “insulting the King”, “undermining the regime” and “defaming an official body and inciting sedition”. Al-Zoubi was detained for 88 days until he was released on a bail. One month later, he was sentenced to one year in prison by the State Security Court.
His lawyer appealed the verdict, and his sentence was reduced to 88 days, corresponding to the time he had already served. He was again issued a travel ban.
On May 11, 2019, his house was raided by members of the GID who damaged his house. He and his younger brother were both arrested. He was referred directly to the State Security Court and charged with “undermining the regime”, “changing the entity of the state” and “attempting to change the political rule in Jordan”. This arrest came after al-Zoubi protested on May 9, 2019, in front of the fourth circle in Amman, opposite the Prime Minister’s Office.
His trial before the State Security Court began on September 1, 2019. On January 14, 2020, he announced that he would go on a hunger strike. As a result, he entered the court on a stretcher when he was presented before the president of the court and the Public Prosecutor on February 9, 2020. He was then provisionally released pending trial. The court has yet to rule on the aforementioned charges.
On December 23, 2020, the Anti Cyber-Crimes Unit of the Public Security Directorate (PSD) interrogated him. He was detained for one day, before being released on bail. He was later charged with three counts of defamation by the Prosecutor of the Ramtha Court. Two charges out of three were dropped. He is still being prosecuted for the third charge.
On March 15, 2021, he was arrested along with 15 other persons at the roundabout of Ramtha after the events of al-Salt hospital. In the context of the Covid-19 crisis, people demonstrated against the oxygen shortages that caused the death of several patients. They were charged with violating the defence law and stirring up sedition. They were detained for 17 days before being released on bail. He and the other defendants are still awaiting trial.
In October 2021, the Jordanian Prime Minister filed a defamation lawsuit against him after he tweeted that his wife “received money by exploiting her husband’s position”. As a result, the Public Prosecutor ordered his arrest and charged him under several provisions of the Cybercrime Law. After 25 days, he was released after the Prime Minister withdrew his complaint.
In late September 2022, new charges were pressed against him and his lawyer, Firas Al-Rousan, in reprisal for having advocated for the release of political detainees. The charges were pressed by the Public Prosecutor of Amman. On August 20, 2022, al-Zoubi shared on his Facebook account a statement of Al Rousan about his last visit to one of his clients who claimed having been subjected to torture.
A hearing was scheduled for this case on September 27, 2022, before the Amman Criminal Magistrate Court but was adjourned to October 9, 2022, because al-Zoubi had not been notified in advance. The charges pressed are based on several provisions of the Cybercrime Law, including “vilifying an official body and the Parliament Council”, “broadcasting false news” and “harming the reputation of the State (Jordan)”.
On October 30, 2022, he was arrested in the city of Ramtha. He was detained until the next morning in the security detention centre of Ramtha before being transferred to Amman in order to be presented before the magistrate judge.
On November 11, 2022, MENA Rights Group submitted an urgent appeal to the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention urging them to call on Jordan to drop all charges pressed against al-Zoubi.
On November 29, 2022, Kamil had a hearing and his lawyer requested a release. The judge granted his release, but under the condition to pay a financial guarantee of 5 000 Jordanian Dinars.
On November 13, 2023, al-Zoubi was arrested in Ramtha city by about 20 members of the GID and the Preventive Security branch of the PSD. He was beaten, dragged, and pinned to the ground on the main Ramtha roundabout. He was then taken to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Cybercrimes unit of the PSD in Amman. There, his phone was taken from him, and he was interrogated about a post he had published on his Twitter (X) profile, which showed trucks transporting American equipment to Israel from bases in Jordan, with a text asking for accountability for the responsibility of the Jordanian government.
Al-Zoubi was then transferred to the Hussein Security Center police station, and was presented before Amman’s Public Prosecutor, before his case was transferred to the Amman Magistrate Court.
On December 14, 2023, al-Zoubi’s hearing took place after being postponed a number of times. There, he was charged on the basis of the Cybercrime Law for sharing “false news targeting national security and community peace”. He was released on bail the same day, after a month in detention.
Al-Zoubi was then informed that he was sentenced to three months of imprisonment. His lawyer filed an appeal.
On March 7, 2024, MENA Rights Group provided updated information to the.UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression about al-Zoubi’s case, including his latest arrest and detention.
On May 23, 2024, al-Zoubi’s sentence to 3 months of imprisonment was upheld.
On June 3, 2024, al-Zoubi was arrested by members of the GID and the Preventive Security branch of the PSD and detained in Marka prison.
During his time in prison, an additional case was opened against him on the basis of a number social media posts he published over recent years. Al-Zoubi’s posts notably criticised the economic situation and corruption in Jordan, shed light on cases of activists detained for their criticism of Jordanian authorities, and expressed his support for Gaza..
On June 20, 2024, MENA Rights Group provided updated information about al-Zoubi’s case to the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
On July 13, 2024, al-Zoubi was released.
| Name(s): |
Kamil al-Zoubi
|
| Status: |
Free
|
| Year of birth: |
1977
|
| Profession: |
Political activist
|
| Nationality: |
Jordanian
|
| Date of arrest: |
|
Kamil al-Zoubi is a Jordanian political activist. Since the beginning of the Arab Spring in late 2010, he participated in peaceful protests calling for reforms and accountability for corruption.
Since 2014, he was detained in prison about 10 times for periods ranging from two weeks to nine months. In addition, he was arrested and detained for a day or two pending investigations approximately 20 times.
Al-Zoubi was first arrested by agents of the General Intelligence Directorate (GID) in Irbid on December 22, 2014, after publishing posts on his social media criticizing the expenses of the Royal Palaces, the allocations for King Abdullah II and his entourage, the lack of reforms, and state corruption. When he was later presented before the State Security Court, he was charged with “insulting the king and undermining the regime”. In January 2015, he was released on bail and placed under a travel ban.
On September 3, 2018, al-Zoubi and the activist Khaled al-Fakhri Abu Islam were arrested by members of the GID in Irbid, following a demonstration they took part in, demanding the King for accountability regarding state corruption and calling for reform. They were then referred to the State Security Court and detained for 14 days pending investigation. They were both charged with “insulting the King”, “undermining the regime” and “defaming an official body and inciting sedition”. Al-Zoubi was detained for 88 days until he was released on a bail. One month later, he was sentenced to one year in prison by the State Security Court.
His lawyer appealed the verdict, and his sentence was reduced to 88 days, corresponding to the time he had already served. He was again issued a travel ban.
On May 11, 2019, his house was raided by members of the GID who damaged his house. He and his younger brother were both arrested. He was referred directly to the State Security Court and charged with “undermining the regime”, “changing the entity of the state” and “attempting to change the political rule in Jordan”. This arrest came after al-Zoubi protested on May 9, 2019, in front of the fourth circle in Amman, opposite the Prime Minister’s Office.
His trial before the State Security Court began on September 1, 2019. On January 14, 2020, he announced that he would go on a hunger strike. As a result, he entered the court on a stretcher when he was presented before the president of the court and the Public Prosecutor on February 9, 2020. He was then provisionally released pending trial. The court has yet to rule on the aforementioned charges.
On December 23, 2020, the Anti Cyber-Crimes Unit of the Public Security Directorate (PSD) interrogated him. He was detained for one day, before being released on bail. He was later charged with three counts of defamation by the Prosecutor of the Ramtha Court. Two charges out of three were dropped. He is still being prosecuted for the third charge.
On March 15, 2021, he was arrested along with 15 other persons at the roundabout of Ramtha after the events of al-Salt hospital. In the context of the Covid-19 crisis, people demonstrated against the oxygen shortages that caused the death of several patients. They were charged with violating the defence law and stirring up sedition. They were detained for 17 days before being released on bail. He and the other defendants are still awaiting trial.
In October 2021, the Jordanian Prime Minister filed a defamation lawsuit against him after he tweeted that his wife “received money by exploiting her husband’s position”. As a result, the Public Prosecutor ordered his arrest and charged him under several provisions of the Cybercrime Law. After 25 days, he was released after the Prime Minister withdrew his complaint.
In late September 2022, new charges were pressed against him and his lawyer, Firas Al-Rousan, in reprisal for having advocated for the release of political detainees. The charges were pressed by the Public Prosecutor of Amman. On August 20, 2022, al-Zoubi shared on his Facebook account a statement of Al Rousan about his last visit to one of his clients who claimed having been subjected to torture.
A hearing was scheduled for this case on September 27, 2022, before the Amman Criminal Magistrate Court but was adjourned to October 9, 2022, because al-Zoubi had not been notified in advance. The charges pressed are based on several provisions of the Cybercrime Law, including “vilifying an official body and the Parliament Council”, “broadcasting false news” and “harming the reputation of the State (Jordan)”.
On October 30, 2022, he was arrested in the city of Ramtha. He was detained until the next morning in the security detention centre of Ramtha before being transferred to Amman in order to be presented before the magistrate judge.
On November 11, 2022, MENA Rights Group submitted an urgent appeal to the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention urging them to call on Jordan to drop all charges pressed against al-Zoubi.
On November 29, 2022, Kamil had a hearing and his lawyer requested a release. The judge granted his release, but under the condition to pay a financial guarantee of 5 000 Jordanian Dinars.
On November 13, 2023, al-Zoubi was arrested in Ramtha city by about 20 members of the GID and the Preventive Security branch of the PSD. He was beaten, dragged, and pinned to the ground on the main Ramtha roundabout. He was then taken to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Cybercrimes unit of the PSD in Amman. There, his phone was taken from him, and he was interrogated about a post he had published on his Twitter (X) profile, which showed trucks transporting American equipment to Israel from bases in Jordan, with a text asking for accountability for the responsibility of the Jordanian government.
Al-Zoubi was then transferred to the Hussein Security Center police station, and was presented before Amman’s Public Prosecutor, before his case was transferred to the Amman Magistrate Court.
On December 14, 2023, al-Zoubi’s hearing took place after being postponed a number of times. There, he was charged on the basis of the Cybercrime Law for sharing “false news targeting national security and community peace”. He was released on bail the same day, after a month in detention.
Al-Zoubi was then informed that he was sentenced to three months of imprisonment. His lawyer filed an appeal.
On March 7, 2024, MENA Rights Group provided updated information to the.UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression about al-Zoubi’s case, including his latest arrest and detention.
On May 23, 2024, al-Zoubi’s sentence to 3 months of imprisonment was upheld.
On June 3, 2024, al-Zoubi was arrested by members of the GID and the Preventive Security branch of the PSD and detained in Marka prison.
During his time in prison, an additional case was opened against him on the basis of a number social media posts he published over recent years. Al-Zoubi’s posts notably criticised the economic situation and corruption in Jordan, shed light on cases of activists detained for their criticism of Jordanian authorities, and expressed his support for Gaza..
On June 20, 2024, MENA Rights Group provided updated information about al-Zoubi’s case to the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
On July 13, 2024, al-Zoubi was released.