Jordanian sues MP over Twitter comments

AMMAN — A Jordanian producer on Monday said he filed a lawsuit against Deputy Tarek Khoury on Sunday in protest against some of his recent tweets.  

Film producer Nedal Khazaleh said he decided to complain about Khoury’s tweets, describing them as “derisive comments”. 

In tweets following His Majesty King Abdullah’s televised address to the nation last week, Khoury used the slogan raised by the King, “be proud,” as a hashtag in Arabic and commented on several controversial issues related to the country’s dealings with Israel.

“Be proud and you will be even more proud when your government punishes the murderers of the martyr Raed Zuaiter...” the MP tweeted, referring to the Jordanian judge who was shot dead by Israeli soldiers on the King Hussein Bridge border crossing last year.

Khoury said Jordanians will also be more proud when their government refuses to buy “stolen gas”, in reference to a projected energy deal with Israel.

The deputy also references the Red Sea-Dead Sea Water Conveyance Project with Israel and the Wadi Araba peace accord in his tweets, calling for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to Jordan.

“His Majesty King Abdullah delivered his speech to support his people and boost their morale. Now we are in need of national unity,” Khazaleh told The Jordan Times over the phone.

But he did not comment further on the issue, saying that the case is now in court.

Responding to the criticism of his tweets, Khoury said his remarks did not conflict with the King’s address.

“His Majesty did not tell us to be silent; on the contrary, he called in his speech for fighting darkness and dark ideologies,” the MP wrote on his Facebook page.

Those who attack people’s freedom of speech and use hate speech are the ones who are at odds with what the King said, Khoury added, noting That His Majesty said members of society should stand in solidarity as one family.

In a related development, a group of activists urged the public through social media to gather outside Parliament on Tuesday at 9am to call for lifting the deputy’s immunity.

Khazaleh said he is not going to take part in Tuesday’s protest, adding that he filed the complaint as a Jordanian citizen.