AMMAN, Jordan: Jordanian authorities confiscated an edition of a local newspaper after it tried to print a front page article containing material authorities claimed harmed relations with the Palestinian government, its chief editor said Monday.
Fahd Al-Rimawi, editor of Al-Majd, told the Associated Press that the April 30 edition of the semimonthly newspaper was confiscated during its printing process because of "prior censorship practiced by the security apparatus."
"The security officials insisted to ban the edition if I didn't remove an article, which reveals a security plan to be implemented in the Palestinian territories that aims at strengthening the Palestinian Authority," Al-Rimawi said in a telephone interview.
He said he argued for several hours with the officials before the edition was confiscated. Jordanian officials could not be reached for comment.
"I am frustrated. The press must enjoy full freedom and that's what King Abdullah II has repeatedly said," al-Rimawi said.
Al-Majd is an independent, small semimonthly newspaper, and one of 30 tabloids published in the kingdom. Al-Rimawi has been arrested numerous times and the newspaper has been banned before. It prints around 16,000 copies.
Earlier in April, Jordanian authorities confiscated an Al-Jazeera videotaped interview with Prince Hassan, Jordan's former crown prince and an uncle to Abdullah. The Qatar-based satellite broadcaster said the Jordanian royal sharply criticized U.S. policies in the Middle East as "destructive" in the interview.
The tape was taken as the Al-Jazeera reporter was about to leave Jordan. The government confirmed the confiscation but said it had nothing to do with the content of the interview.
Nidhal Mansoor, the director of the Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists, said "confiscating Al-Majd is a flagrant violation of the law and against the freedom of the press." Mansoor urged the government to take a "firm stance" and prevent prior censorship of newspapers during the printing process.
