Urgent Action: POLITICAL ACTIVIST FACING TRIAL BEFORE MILITARY COURT FOR FACEBOOK POST (Jordan 26.24)

On December 21, 2023, the Jordanian authorities arrested Ayman Sanduka, political activist and mathematics professor, in relation to a Facebook post addressed to the King in October 2023 where he criticized Jordan’s diplomatic relations with Israel. On February 12, 2024, a prosecutor at the State Security Court, an exceptional military court, charged Ayman Sanduka with “incitement to oppose the political regime”, under article 149 of the Penal Code. Ayman Sanduka’s next hearing before the SSC is scheduled for March 26. The Jordanian authorities must drop all charges and immediately and unconditionally release Ayman Sanduka as he is being prosecuted solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression.

Deadline Extended from May 17, 2024 to July 12, 2024 

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: July 12, 2024 

take action:

• Write a letter in your own words or using the sample below as a guide to one or both government officials listed. You can also email, fax, call or Tweet them.
• Click here to let us know the actions you took on Urgent Action 26.24. It’s important to report because we share the total number with the officials we are trying to persuade and the people we are trying to help.

contact information:

sample letter:

Your Majesty,  

I am writing to express my grave concern about Ayman Sanduka, a political activist and mathematics professor, who is being prosecuted before the State Security Court (SSC) for exercising his right to freedom of expression.

Ayman Sanduka was initially summoned by the public prosecutor on December 18, 2023, in relation to Facebook posts expressing pro-Palestinian sentiments. On January 24, 2024, a criminal court sentenced Ayman Sanduka to three months in prison on charges of “defaming an official body”, under the new Cybercrime Law.

Security forces also subjected him to verbal humiliation, and, during his transfer, tightly tied his hands and feet. On February 12, 2024, the State Security Court prosecutor added an additional charge against Ayman Sanduka of “incitement to oppose the political regime”, under article 149 of the Penal Code. Ayman Sanduka’s next hearing before the SSC is scheduled for March 26. The SSC is a military court which fails to meet international standards of impartiality and independence and is often used to prosecute civilians and silence dissent in violation of international law.

I urge you to ensure that the Kingdom of Jordan does not violate international human rights law and that Ayman Sanduka is immediately and unconditionally released and that all charges against him are dropped as they stem from his legitimate expression online.

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

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