Major Jordanian newspaper suspends reporting on government activities

Jordanian journalists are accusing their country’s government of interfering in the editorial policy of their newspaper.

The journalists working at Al-Rai Newspaper, the biggest daily in Jordan, announced on Tuesday that they have decided to suspend reporting on the activities of the government from tomorrow.

According to Al-Quds Al-Arabi, the journalists said that the current government headed by Abdullah Al-Nosour “severely interferes” in the editorial policy of their newspaper.

They called on King Abdullah II to mediate their problem with the government, which they also accuse of interfering with the financial management of the newspaper.

A key immediate demand of the journalists is the removal of the current head of the administrative board of the newspaper, Ali Al-Ayed, who is a former information minister.

Criticising the policy of the government towards mass media in Jordan, the journalists condemned its “traditional way of dealing with newspapers”.

They suggest that this kind of interference has transformed Al-Rai Newspaper from a news organisation run for the country and the people to one benefitting the government.