Jordanian MP detained over anti-government social media posts

Jordanian MP Yanal Freihat has been arrested over a social media post criticising the government’s views on the Muslim Brotherhood, according to The Middle East Eye on July 20th.

Jordan’s security forces captured Yanal Freihat for a post that allegedly breached Jordan’s Cybercrime Law. Freihat, who is a member of the Islamic Action Front party, was later released on bail; however, the reason for his capture was due to a Facebook post condemning the government’s views towards the Muslim Brotherhood.

The public prosecutor’s ordered Freihat to be under detention for seven days after he condemned a government statement alleging that the Muslim Brotherhood was illegally collecting 30 million dinars ($42 million) whilst also expressing doubt over the government’s version of events.

Freihat is largely seen as one of Jordan’s leading conservatives, consistently winning elections. In September 2024, he won with 18,000 votes, which is known to be one of the highest counts in the country.

During the same election in 2024, the Islamic Action Front (IAF) gained the biggest number of votes, due to its pro-Palestinian stance.

In previous months, Jordan’s Intelligence agency captured and interrogated hundreds of people who have supported Palestinians in Gaza, which is currently known to be the biggest arrest campaign that the kingdom has conducted in tens of years. 

Freihat’s arrest indicates the current government’s stance towards the IAF. Freihat is the first ever sitting MP to have been detained since the country’s security crackdown on the conservative movement, which started in April, when the government officially prohibited the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Interior Minister Mazin Abdellah Hilalal al-Farreyah declared that promoting the Muslim Brotherhood’s ideology was now against the law.

During a press conference, Farreyah announced a total ban on the Brotherhood, stating that “any activity by the group, regardless of its nature, is considered a violation of the law.” Afterwards, the authorities closed all of the brotherhood’s offices within the country, took away its assets, and made all forms of affiliation or contact illegal. Farreyah further warned that anybody proven to be connected to the group’s operations would experience criminal prosecution.

Furthermore, in 2020, Jordan’s Court of Cassation ruled that the Brotherhood lacked legal standing within the country and ordered its disbanding.

Meanwhile, in April, Jordan’s General Intelligence stated that they had arrested a 16-member armed cell who were purportedly intending to make drones and missiles in support of the West Bank’s Palestinians.

Jordan also cracked down on charity groups that were working closely with the Muslim Brotherhood. The entities were allegedly under the influence of the Brotherhood.

Security services have launched a wide campaign of arrests targeting the Islamist group. Among the detainees were Ahmed al-Zarqan, the deputy leader of the group. Murad al-Adleyah, who is known to be the Brotherhood’s general supervisor, was summoned to the court and testified, and later on, he was released.

The Muslim Brotherhood was founded in Cairo in 1928, and is one of the most well-known Islamist groups, on a national scale. The group insists on peaceful democratic participation, but is prohibited in different parts of the world.

Recently, US republicans have also pushed to label the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group that aims to overthrow the US. Egypt, also added the group to its list of terror groups.

Middle East Eye, Maghrebi.org