Police to ‘seek prosecution of social media users’ over viral video

AMMAN — Police will seek the prosecution of Internet users who reportedly posted what they said was a 10-year-old video showing traffic police “beating up a man in downtown Amman”, according to an official.

“This is an old video and we are really not content with what some individuals have done on social media. Their actions are meant to stir up disturbances and they will be prosecuted,” Public Security Department Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi said on Saturday.

The video, which went viral over the weekend, shows a wanted person “being attacked by traffic police after he attacked them while in the process of being arrested,” according to Sartawi.

“The case was investigated and appropriate measures were taken then against both the traffic officers and the suspect. We question the timing of publishing such a video that was taken in July 2007,” the police official told The Jordan Times.

The government has recently announced stiff measures against individuals who use social media to spread sectarianism, hate speech and inappropriate material that is deemed harmful to the stability and security of the nation.

Sartawi recently said that anyone found committing such acts that do not “comply with our national unity, culture and solid social fabric, will be prosecuted”.

The police official urged the public to “use the media in a responsible manner and to avoid sharing any content deemed harmful to national unity or spreading hate speech”.