This is what Freedom House had to say about the press freedom in Jordan:
In Jordan, articles of the penal and press codes restrict criticism of the royal family, the National Assembly, public officials and the armed forces, as well as any speech that might harm Jordan’s foreign relations. These laws should be repealed. The 1998 Jordan Press Association (JPA) law should be amended to remove the requirement that journalists be members of the JPA. The JPA’s vaguely worded bylaws, including provisions requiring members to practice journalism "within the framework of its moral, national, and patriotic responsibility," and to swear an oath of loyalty to the king, invite abuse. The government should also issue clear directives to security forces not to interfere with newspaper printers.
You can see the full report here [in Adobe PDF format]. It’s sad but true! Hat Tip: [Or Does it explode?]
Please remember that the fundemental difference between The Freedom House and a group like Amnesty International is that FH uses human rights as a stick to pressure countries who may embark on policies the US considers not consistent with its foregin policy objectives. But Amnesty International is a non-political, for the most part, organization that monitors human rights PERIOD. If you look at the board of trustees of Freedom House you will find hard-core Neocons such as the infamous Jeane J. Kirkpatrick, Kenneth L. Adelman, David M. Rubenstein, and the infamous Samuel Huntington who authored the clash of civilization. While their website may give the impression they are even-handed and have a balances focus, yet their money seems to pour into projects that either support puppet regimes or undermine/embarass unfriendly ones.
Thanks for the United 93 review. I had heard much in the official review industry but wanted a fair and balanced view, and blogosphere usually seems to do the job. I plan on watching it soon.
On your latest post, to be honest, it surprises me about Jordan. But then what I know about the country. All I have heard lately is that it is a ‘model’ for the Arab world and so on…