A prominent media expert in Jordan has issued a warning against the upcoming cybercrime law, ahead of its enactment, after it was found to be a “true copy” of the UAE cybercrime law, according to Yahya Shuqair, a legislative researcher and expert.
Shuqair said that the new cybercrime law is a “true copy” of a similar legislation “in an undisclosed Arab nation,” as per a report by London-based Arabic-daily Rai Al Youm.
However, in a radio interview with Husna FM’s Hosam Al-Gharaibeh, Shuqair refrained from explicitly naming the country, but during the discussion Al-Gharaibeh said: “I will tell you who this country is, that it is the ‘state of the Emirates’.”
The law, as Shuqair points out, raises concerns of intellectual property infringement if the principles of intellectual property were applied to legal frameworks.
He said that, by those standards, the Jordanian government would be liable for fines to the nation from which the legal texts were borrowed.
Shuqair, while not denying the possible repercussions, firmly asserted that the law is an exact duplicate of its originator and does not reflect the needs of Jordanian society.
He highlighted the disparity between introducing such a law with steep fines while not having comparable infrastructure or social conditions, citing inadequate streets in comparison to the nation whose legislation was borrowed.
New cybercrime law sparks debate and uncertainty
The public discourse surrounding the new cybercrime law, which Shuqair’s remarks comes at the final stages of implementation of the law, and has prompted substantial confusion and debate, particularly among experts trying to anticipate its impact.
The law is set to become enforceable after its recent publication in the Official Gazette, with approximately 25 days remaining before its implementation in legal courts.
Initially, government authorities assured the public that the law would exclusively target those engaging in abusive conduct on social media platforms.
However, observers remain uncertain about its implications and how it will be applied once active.
Despite its imminent enactment, significant issues remain unresolved regarding the law, including questions about its implementation and possible amendments in the future.
With concerns over the anticipated influx of complaints and cases arising from the new law, politicians and statesmen have expressed apprehension over its potential impact on the judiciary and security as well.
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