Man imprisoned for spying on wife’s computer in Jordan
A court has sentenced a Jordanian man to three months in prison and a 100-dinar fine (approximately $140) for spying on his wife's computer. The man accessed her private photos and messages from before their marriage and threatened to publish them.
The court's decision followed a complaint filed by the wife. The husband was convicted of misdemeanor defamation, slander, and contempt under Article 11 of the Electronic Crimes Law, as well as the misdemeanor of threatening.
He was also ordered to pay 500 dinars (approximately $705) to his wife as compensation for personal damages, in addition to court fees and attorney costs.
Commenting on the case, attorney Dr. Ahmed Abu Rumman, an expert in family law, told Roya that Jordanian law firmly punishes "privacy violation" between individuals, and this protection extends to marital relationships.
Abu Rumman clarified that if one spouse accesses the other's phone or computer without permission, it constitutes a punishable crime under law if the aggrieved party files a formal complaint. He noted that the law in this instance does not differentiate between a personal device and a device shared by the couple.
He highlighted a social issue where, in many cases, if one spouse finds sensitive information, the focus shifts to the "content of the information" and resulting marital problems, rather than on the "act of spying" itself.
This, he said, is due to many people being unaware that the act of spying is legally criminalized.
Abu Rumman said that a spouse using any spying or monitoring applications against the other is illegal. The affected party has the right to file a complaint with the Cybercrime Unit, and such an act could be sufficient grounds for filing for divorce due to discord and dispute if it causes harm that prevents the continuation of the marital life.
He added that Jordanian courts issue judgments in such cases, but they often remain confidential to protect family privacy, making them largely unknown to the public.
