Investigative journalist Ali Younes was arrested and prosecuted in Jordan for allegedly reposting an article critical of U.S. aid to the kingdom. He faces charges including undermining national security, sedition, and hate crimes, with a travel ban imposed.
The arrest and prosecution of Ali Younes highlight concerns about press freedom in Jordan and the potential repercussions for journalists reporting on sensitive geopolitical and financial aid issues involving the United States.
Jordanian authorities have arrested and prosecuted investigative journalist Ali Younes, a Jordanian-American citizen and correspondent for Drop Site News, after he allegedly reposted an article critical of U.S. financial support for the kingdom. Younes was detained on August 17 by Jordanian intelligence officers upon his arrival at Queen Alia International Airport and subsequently ordered to appear before prosecutors in Amman.
The case revolves around Younes's reposting of an article published by The American Conservative titled “Stop Sending Billions in U.S. Aid to Jordan.” The article questioned the extensive financial support provided by Washington to the Jordanian monarchy, asking why American taxpayers should fund Jordan when King Abdullah II allegedly keeps his amassed fortune stashed abroad.
Jordan has received approximately $33.8 billion in American assistance over the past 75 years, with further billions expected under existing agreements. Authorities have deemed Younes's alleged reposting of the article as an act of undermining Jordan's national security. During a court hearing on Monday, prosecutors escalated the charges to include "sedition and hate crimes" in connection with the post, and a travel ban was imposed on Younes.
Younes, a former Al Jazeera journalist who has also contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CNN, and the BBC, faces up to a year in prison. Drop Site News has called for the immediate dropping of the case against Younes, the lifting of his travel ban, and for the U.S. government to provide assistance to him.