Jordan Activist Jailed for Burning King's Picture

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A Jordanian political activist was sentenced on Thursday to two years in prison for undermining King Abdullah II's dignity, after he set alight a picture of the monarch this month.

"The (military) state security court sentenced Uday Abu Issa, 18, to two years in jail. He has been found guilty of undermining the king's dignity," a judicial official told Agence France Presse.

Abu Issa had confessed to setting alight the picture after tearing it off a municipal wall in Madaba, south of Amman, saying he was upset over the death of a municipal worker who set himself on fire after his contract was terminated.

Human Rights Watch has urged state security prosecutors to drop charges against Abu Issa, who has apologized to the king in a letter sent by his lawyer.

"Burning a royal's image as a political statement should not be criminally prosecuted," said Christoph Wilcke, senior HRW Middle East researcher.

"To prosecute this act would send a chilling message that criticizing the king is off limits."

Comments 3
Thumb jabalamel 26 January 2012, 16:03

the filthy zionist information war department has nothing to say because it's usa ally and it's forbidden to attack usa allies.

same for bahrain

Default-user-icon Dgiordgi (Guest) 26 January 2012, 17:14

The king of Jordan is the most democratic of all, and so there is no need for improvement. Jail them all democratically.

Default-user-icon march14 (Guest) 27 January 2012, 05:57

I think every dictator needs to be replaced. I am 100% March 14, and will always vote March 14. But any king or dictator should be removed. Whether its in Jordan, Saudi, Kuwait, Qatar, Syria, Libya, Egypt, Iran, Yemen. Any 1 person that rules a country should be removed. Whether elected or not no one should ever be allowed to stay more than 2 terms.