Al Rai journalist freed on bail after five days of detention

AMMAN — The State Security Court (SSC) on Sunday released on bail Al Rai journalist Ghazi Mrayat who was detained for violating a gag order preventing media from publishing news on a foiled terror plot.

“We have been exerting several efforts over the past few days to release him. Finally, today he was released and I drove him home,” Tareq Momani, Jordan Press Association (JPA) president, told The Jordan Times on Sunday.

“I would like to thank the SSC for its cooperation in this regard and releasing Mrayat,” Momani, also chief editor of Al Rai daily, said on Sunday.

The JPA head also called for ending the arrests of journalists and putting an end to trying them at military courts for publication-related charges.

“Journalists should not be detained for issues of publications and not tried in military courts as well,” said Momani.

The syndicate president also called for making the necessary legislative amendments  to ensure that no journalist is detained in cases related to doing his job.

Last Wednesday, the SSC detained Mrayat after publishing a report detailing a recent foiled terror plot in spite of a gag order preventing media outlets from further publishing about the case.

He was placed in custody for 15 days at Marka Correctional and Rehabilitation Centre, pending further investigation into the case.

The foiled terror case first reported by Al Rai Monday involved the recent arrest of a suspect who allegedly plotted to carry out terrorist attacks in the country.

In Wednesday’s issue, Al Rai published more details on the case a few days after the ban, with Momani insisting that his newspaper did not receive an official letter from authorities notifying it with the gag. 

In a related development, the SSC issued during a session on Monday a decision renewing a previous order preventing the publication of any information, whatsoever, on the case that involves terror suspect Khaled Rabiee, which the court is currently examining.