Senate passes 2023 Cybercrime Law

Jordan

Published: 2023-08-06 11:22

Last Updated: 2024-05-09 05:28


Senate passes 2023 Cybercrime Law
Senate passes 2023 Cybercrime Law

Sunday, the Senate endorsed the Lower House of Parliament's decision to pass the amended draft cybercrime law.

Earlier Wednesday, the draft law, previously revised by the Senate, was approved by the Lower House of Parliament.

The revisions made by the Senate to Articles 15, 16, and 17 were endorsed.

Within these three articles, the prescribed penalties include imprisonment, fines, or a combination of both. Notably, the fine stipulated in Article 16 has been decreased.

Article 15 now reads as follows:

(A) Individuals intentionally propagating false news will face a minimum of three months' imprisonment, a fine ranging from JD 5,000 to JD 20,000, or both penalties.

(B) Offenses outlined in Paragraph (A) will be subject to prosecution by the Public Prosecution, eliminating the necessity of filing a complaint or asserting a personal claim, especially if the false news concerns a state authority, official entity, or public administration.

Furthermore, the Lower House of Parliament has revised the fines associated with Article 16. This article pertains to actions causing "reputation damage" online and results in imprisonment for no less than three months, or a fine ranging from JD 5,000 to JD 20,000, or both penalties.

Amidst these changes, Article 17 has also been ratified. Following its modification, this article now dictates that intentional utilization of the internet to disseminate content aiming to incite conflict or undermine "national unity" will incur a sentence of 1-3 years' imprisonment, a fine ranging from JD 5,000 to JD 20,000, or both penalties.