Report on ‘honour crimes’ in Jordan contained ‘professional, ethical errors’

AMMAN — A press report published by Reuters included “professional and ethical mistakes” in covering the issue of administratively detained women in Jordan, according to “Akeed”, an online portal dedicated to monitoring the credibility of Jordanian media.

The report, republished by international newspapers and websites including The Jordan Times, included interviews of women, who were allegedly former detainees, with local rights organisations, as well as the opinion of Basel Tarawneh, the government’s coordinator for human rights.

The report adopted “inaccurate figures, ratios and information” related to ‘honour crimes’, Akeed said, despite the journalist’s confirmation that she had obtained the figures from “trusted” sources.

According to the report, the number of women who were killed by their relatives in 2016 amounted to 42, a number which was refuted by Munir Idaibes, the executive manager of the Sisterhood Is Global Institute — Jordan (SIGI), who said that the number was 29.

The report said Jordan “has one of the highest rates of ‘honour killings’ in the world”.

It also showed videos and photos of detainees without considering their privacy, according to Akeed.

Human rights activists and journalists expressed their discontent over the report, saying it would distort the image of the Kingdom abroad. They pointed out that some media outlets related the report while broadcasting images of extremist groups performing violent acts, although they were not related to Jordan.