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Media should be given bigger role in anti-graft drive — MP

By Dana Al Emam - Dec 14,2014 - Last updated at Dec 14,2014

AMMAN — Private sector institutions, civil society organisations and media outlets are urged to boost transparency and integrity measures to enhance the fight against corruption, an official said on Saturday.

Nonetheless, laws should “penalise corrupt practices” in the private sector, including bribery, embezzlement and abuse of authority, as such actions have negative consequences on society, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Secretary General Ali Dmour said.

In a panel discussion on Jordan’s commitment to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), Dmour added that the Kingdom’s efforts to combat corruption were translated in the establishment of the ACC in 1996, before the UN opened the convention for signature in 2003. 

Highlighting the convention’s role in building bridges of cooperation between UNCAC countries, he said the ACC’s connection to the prime minister’s office does not affect its independence, which is a crucial requirement under the convention.

However, signing UNCAC is one thing, but leading an effective on-the-ground fight against corruption “might be something else”, Deputy Jamil Nimri (Irbid, 2nd District) said at the discussion, organised by the Jordan Transparency Centre and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty. 

The lawmaker praised constitutional and institutional efforts in fighting corruption, such as establishing anti-corruption entities and endorsing the Anti-Corruption and Access to Information laws.

Yet, some regulations, including the Press and Publications Law and the Anti-Corruption Law, contradict the efforts to fight corruption, according to the deputy.

“The Anti-Corruption Law penalises media outlets that report on corruption cases without evidence for character assassination. This is good but it muzzles the media and limits its regulatory role,” Nimri said, noting that press has a major role in revealing corruption cases.

He added that the 16th Parliament “failed” in accusing those involved in corruption cases, despite “very strong” evidence.

Commenting on the Access to Information Law, National Library Department (NLD) Director General Mohammad Abbadi said the department has only received 36 complaints of being denied access to information since 2007.

“In 2013, the department received 2,209 requests of access to information, 2,101 of them were answered, while 108 were rejected,” he said, noting that the NLD is keen on implementing the law to create a flow of information.

Endorsed in 2007, the Access to Information Law aims to facilitate the public’s access to official documents.

The law grants access to almost all types of information except those classified as “secret”, as per legislation on protecting state documents and secrets.

Those wishing to obtain information through this law must fill out a special form and wait for an official response.

The law stipulates that if there is no answer within 30 days, it means the application was rejected, in which case the applicant has the right to either resort to the Higher Court of Justice or lodge a complaint with the Information Council, a specialised body formed to supervise the law’s application.

In 2012, amendments were introduced to the law enabling non-Jordanians to access information in implementation of international agreements that Jordan has signed. Abbadi said the NLD has discussed the Access to Information Law with several civil society organisations and media outlets, creating a revised draft, which has been submitted to the Lower House Legal Committee. 

He added that the revised draft of the law entails shortening the 30-day response period to 15, among other changes. 

On the other hand, Musab Shawabkeh, head of the investigative reporting unit at the Community Media Network, said he has personally submitted over 100 information requests to several institutions, but received answers from only two or three. 

Listing 34 laws that restrict freedom of press, Shawabkeh noted that the Access to Information Law itself has several restrictive provisions. 

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