JT photo journalist Aqarbeh says he was attacked by police, filed lawsuit

AMMAN — The Jordan Times photo journalist Osama Aqarbeh said he filed a lawsuit against police on Tuesday after he was "attacked and insulted" by policemen while he was covering the robbery incident of the money exchange shop in Amman.

Aqarbeh said he was detained and under arrest by police and was "badly treated and insulted" on Wednesday night while he was on official mission covering the robbery incident of Al Alawneh Money Exchange Shop in Amman's Wasfi Tel Street in Gardens.

"I introduced myself as The Jordan Times journalist to a policeman standing there [near the money exchange shop] and he was polite but then his colleagues came and tried to drag me into a police car," Aqarbeh said on Thursday.

"They were pressuring me and tried to take my mobile phone and force me to delete the pictures in it… They were insulting me and my newspaper, and the Jordan Press Association [JPA]"

Aqarbeh said he filed a lawsuit against the Public Security Department (PSD) through the JPA.

The PSD was not available for comment on the issue.

JPA President Rakan Saaideh voiced the association's keenness on ensuring "full" protection for journalists while doing their job without any hindrances or conditions.

"Any restrictions to journalists' rights are completely rejected and denounced as they are against the Constitution and the relevant conventions Jordan has rectified," Saaideh told The Jordan Times on Thursday.

Saideh said that the JPA Council will follow up on Aqarbeh's complaint with the PSD to make sure that justice is served.

The JPA president also called on the PSD to take all necessary measures to ensure "complete freedom" for journalists while covering events and incidents and to offer them all facilities.