Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Journalists announced that they will continue their protest at the sit-in journalists’ tent in Amman until reaching their demands of toppling the newly endorsed 2012 Press and Publications Law.

Dozens of journalists gathered in the tent in protest of the new Press and Publications Law, which they deemed as a paramount attempt on the part of the state to undermine press freedoms and freedom of expression and opinion in the country.

National figures, Islamists, activists, civil society organizations, and members of political parties took part in the protest sit-in tent to solidarity with the journalists. Islamist leader Ali Abu Sukkar expressed that the new law is a blatant attack on freedom of speech and violates numerous laws, international conventions, and the Jordanian constitution itself.

The journalists convene their protest every day from 5 PM to 7 PM at the tent set up on Queen Rania Al Abdullah Street (dubbed Press Street).

The amendments to the law specifically targets electronic news websites, which number over 300 in Jordan, by forcing them to register and get licensed with the Press and Publications Department. The law also stipulates that the editor-in-chief of each online news website must be a member of the Jordan Press Association. Amendments to the law gave authorities wide jurisdiction to censor the news website and shut down its offices, in addition to holding editors-in-chief, publishers, managers, and authors of comments on news pieces legally accountable for the comment.

After lawmakers passed the changes to the press law, and King Abdullah II endorsed it, a mass demonstration was held at the sit- in journalists’ tent in Amman, where activists, journalists, civil society organizations and national figures gathered to announce the launch of the "Civil Coalition against the New Press and Publications Law."

In the launch, participants express categorical opposition against the law recently passed by lawmakers and endorsed by the King, describing it as “shameful” and pledged to fight it in all possible legal and civil means.