US embassy cable - 03AMMAN7429

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 007429 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, PHUM, JO 
SUBJECT: ALLEGED CENSORSHIP HIGHLIGHTS PRESS RESTRICTIONS, 
CHALLENGES NEW, LIBERAL GOJ APPROACH 
 
Classified By: Amb. Edward W. Gnehm for reasons 1.5 (b) (d) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (C)  The local press this week reported the alleged GOJ 
censorship of a political cartoon scheduled for publication 
in the weekly newspaper Al-Wahda.  The government 
spokesperson denied that the GOJ censors at all, and some 
commentators are accusing the weekly's editor of trying to 
get the GOJ to shut down his publication to suit his own 
needs.  While the actual events remain unclear, this case 
shows that censorship (or, more likely, enlightened 
self-censorship), remains a problem, and how the new 
government addresses it could be a test of its reformist 
intentions.  The GOJ Spokesperson says she hopes to move to a 
completely judicial approach to complaints about press 
excesses, based solely on libel suits brought by injured 
parties, but admits that "the traditional ways" may die hard. 
 END SUMMARY. 
 
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CARTOON PULLING:  WHO DONE IT? 
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2.  (U)  The staff of the weekly Al-Wahda claimed publicly on 
November 6 that a Jordanian security official asked that a 
political cartoon scheduled for publication in last week's 
edition be deleted, otherwise the issue would be seized. 
Press sources say the drawing showed a cabinet meeting with 
each cabinet member sitting under the flag of the country in 
which s/he studied (with two-thirds of the cabinet sitting 
under U.S. or UK flags).  According to the popularly accepted 
version of the story, the weekly's editor, Mowaffaq Mahaddin, 
pulled the allegedly offending cartoon and started 
complaining about the "censorship" to anyone who would 
listen.  He also later alleged that authorities had censored 
three editorials he recently wrote about the new government 
for another paper, Al-Arab Al-Yowm. 
 
3.  (SBU)  Al-Dustour press, where Al-Wahda is printed, 
claimed to PAO staff that Mahaddin himself stopped the 
printing, and a common rumor alleges that Al-Wahda may be 
running out of money and is trying to provoke the GOJ into 
shutting it down, rather than admit business failure.  There 
may be some truth to this as Al-Wahda, a political weekly of 
limited circulation and influence, was reportedly financed by 
the old Iraqi regime. 
 
4.  (U)  Embassy contacts indicate that it is not uncommon 
for particularly biting cartoons to be refused publication -- 
although there is a difference of opinion on who is 
responsible.  Many claim unnamed "security officials" as the 
culprits, while others blame weak-kneed editors.  At least 
one famous Jordanian cartoonist publishes his work online, 
including those cartoons he cannot get printed in newspapers. 
 
 
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THE GOJ RESPONDS:  WE WILL NOT CENSOR 
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5.  (C)  Government spokesperson Asma Khader (previously a 
prominent lawyer and human and women's rights activist) 
publicly denied that the GOJ had had a hand in stopping the 
publication of al-Wahda's cartoon, said that the new 
government opposes all forms of censorship, and announced a 
probe into the matter.  In a November 12 meeting with the 
Ambassador and PolCouns (septel), Khader said she called 
Mahaddin and asked for his side of the story, claiming that 
he would not identify for her the alleged security official 
who had instructed him not to publish the cartoon.  She 
mentioned that this editor has a history of complaining to 
the international press about censorship and pointed out that 
the same edition of Al-Wahda carried an article highly 
critical of the new government.  Khader believes that 
Mahaddin probably acted on his own and tried to get some 
public relations mileage by manufacturing a controversy. 
 
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RULE OF LAW SHOULD BE THE RULE 
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6.  (C)  While not denying past GOJ attempts to manage the 
content of the media, Khader said that the new government 
would not engage in censorship of individual press articles, 
even if offensive.  She said that the GOJ wants individuals 
who feel injured by press stories to bring libel suits in 
courts to redress press excesses.  One of her chief goals in 
her new position as spokesperson will be to encourage a 
gradual move toward complete freedom of the media.  However, 
she said, "we can't be open for the publication of anything 
in just one day.  It will take time to change the traditional 
ways of doing business." 
 
COMMENT 
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7.  (C)  GOJ officials have, at least in the past, regularly 
made "suggestions" to editors to influence the content of 
publications.  The editors often followed these suggestions, 
although they were not legally binding, and developed their 
own personal guidelines for self-censorship to avoid getting 
noticed in the future.  This case provides a window on the 
problems the GOJ faces as it tries to open the political 
system and promote media freedom:  new government ministers 
like Khader may have true intent, but implementation of their 
reforms will require real and sustained effort. 
 
Visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ 
 
or access the site through the State Department's SIPRNET 
home page. 
GNEHM