Jordanian Cabinet endorses a new cybercrime law

A new cybercrime law was approved in Jordan with an addition of new amendments [in Arabic] to the old law. The new law redefines hate speech to include any writing, speech or action that is intended to incite sectarian or racial strife or to call for violence, or to provoke conflict between sects and various segments of society. Additionally, it criminalises rumours and false news with a penalty of three months to two years imprisonment. As for third-party content on social media and media outlets, the law provides that the liability of the comments is on the commentators. The law was condemned for not being opened for public comments or published after endorsement. It was further denounced for addressing crimes that are already tackled in other operative laws.