Tayseer Najjar
Tayseer Najjar | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975 |
| Died | 19 February 2021 (aged 45–46) |
| Nationality | Jordanian |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Criminal status | Released, 12 February 2019 |
| Criminal penalty | 3 years in prison and AED 500,000 fine (approximately $136,000 fine pardoned in February 2019) |
Tayseer Najjar (Arabic: تيسير النجار) (1975 – 19 February 2021) was a Jordanian journalist who was convicted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and given a three-year prison term for violating the country's defamation law. He was sentenced under Article 29 of the United Arab Emirates cyber crime law, by posting comments on the social network Facebook expressing support to armed groups in Gaza and criticising the UAE's support of Egypt's decision to destroy Hamas tunnels in the 2014 Israeli aggression on Gaza.[1][2] Tayseer was due to be released on 13 December 2018, and was facing a fine of AED 500,000, equivalent to US$136,000.[3][4] Tayseer's sentence was extended six more months because he was unable to pay the fine.[5] On 12 February 2019, Najjar was released from prison and returned to his home country, Jordan.[citation needed] His fine was pardoned.[6]
Background
[edit]According to Human Rights Watch, Najjar was convicted on the basis of his Facebook posts written before he moved to the UAE and criticism on phone calls with his wife. Reportedly, his critical conversations with his wife over the telephone were cited by the trial judgment without disclosing how the UAE authorities obtained records of the calls. Human Rights Watch stated that Najjar's rights to due process and a fair trial were violated by the UAE authorities by not allowing him to access a lawyer including during interrogations, for more than a year.[7] Najjar wrote on Facebook:
"Message to some journalists and writers who do not like the Gazan resistance, there is no two rights in one case, but the right one is the Gazan resistance and all else is bad – such as Israel, the UAE, [Egyptian President Abdel Fattah] el-Sisi and other regimes that are no longer ashamed of shame itself."[8]
Najjar was questioned about expressing his support for armed groups.[1]
Death
[edit]He died on 19 February 2021 in Amman, due to a pre-existing heart condition.[9][10]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "If You're Jordanian Freedom Costs $136,000 in the UAE". albawaba.com. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
- ^ "Jordan to push for return of journalist held in UAE – JPA". The Jordan Times. 14 February 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ "UAE: Jordanian Journalist Convicted". Human Rights Watch. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ "UAE holds reporter for five months without charge over Facebook post". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ "Rights groups call on UAE to release Jordanian journalist, Tayseer Al-Najjar". Middle East Monitor. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
- ^ "الصحفي تيسير النجار في عمّان بعد الإفراج عنه". almamlakatv.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 12 February 2019.
- ^ "UAE: Release Imprisoned Jordanian Journalist". Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
- ^ "Jordanian journalist arrested over Facebook post released from UAE prison". Middle East Eye. 13 February 2019.
- ^ "Journalist Tayseer Al-Najjar passes away". royanews.tv. 19 February 2021.
- ^ "Jordanian Journalist Tayseer al-Najjar Dies From The Effects of Alleged Torture While Serving in UAE Prison". albawaba.com. 20 February 2021.