After UAE pardons British academic calls to pardon Jordanian journalist

Jordanian activists have called on the Jordanian government to pressure the United Arab Emirates, UAE in order to pardon Jordanian journalist, Tayseer al-Najjar who is jailed in the UAE for criticising Egypt, Israel, and Gulf countries on Facebook.

The UAE pardoned on Monday Matthew Hedges, 31 a British academic as part of a series of orders on the country’s National Day anniversary. Hedges was accused of spying in the United Arab Emirates.

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The UK-based Arab Organization for Human Rights has previously said in a statement that al-Najjar detention in the UAE is a severe violation of human rights.

It called on the UAE authorities to cancel the verdict against al-Najjar and drop all criminal charges against him and release him and to open a serious investigation into his torture and medical negligence as well as ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable.