The Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists (CDFJ), is a Jordan-based not-for-profit company that aims at providing legal advice to journalists who are victims of human rights violations; filing lawsuits on behalf of victim journalists; legally representing defendants or initiating litigation; monitoring and documenting information that concerns legislation and judicial rulings that address journalists and media issues and filing suits contesting the legality of unconstitutional legislation with the aim of bringing national legislation into line with international conventions to which Jordan is a signatory.

The Center also conducts research into Jordanian laws and its consistency with international human rights covenants and conventions. Of particular interest to the Center is the Press and Publications law and the Audio-Visual Aids Bylaws.

The Center aims also at providing professional development training to Jordanian and Arab media professionals in the areas of learning new techniques in media, increase knowledge on developments with electronic media and digital media. The Center is particularly interested in utilizing the Internet and Information Technology to serve as a vehicle for free expression and human rights protection in the country and throughout the Arab world.

The organization also attempts the establishment of a Journalists and media rights library containing legal research on human rights and other information concerning legal rights and freedoms and raising individual journalists’ awareness of their legal rights, in particular through a series of publications and sizable guides and manuals.

CDFJ shall seek support for conducting and carrying out training for journalists and media professionals in the Arab world on issues of professionalism, ethics and adaptation of worldwide standards observing human rights and free expression.

The organization does not have any partisan affiliation and is not involved by any means in political activities that are aimed at supporting certain groups. The center has been established in early 1999 to be based in Jordan but to also have plans to work on a regional level protecting free expression, rights of journalists and human rights.

The Center is lead by an Executive Committee comprising of Mr. Nidal Mansour and Mr. Fadi Al-Qadi. Mr. Mansour is a prominent journalist in Jordan, now the editor in chief of the weekly AlHadath; elected secretary for the Jordanian Journalists’ Association. Mr. Mansour is also a Human Rights Watch Award winner for brave journalists in the world because of his exceptional efforts and work to bring down the Press and Publication law’s draft – considered to be the worst of its kind – in 1997. For the past four years Mr. Al-Qadi worked as a media consultant and as the executive director of Internews Middle East based in Jerusalem and with projects in Palestine, Jordan and Egypt. He has managed projects under funds from USAID, Open Society Institute, MacArthur and others.

The Center’s first activity has taken place in November 1999, where it held a three-days seminar hosting more than twenty journalists and media professionals from countries around the Arab world to discuss and analyze the impact of media legislation in their respective countries. The German Fredrich Ebert Foundation funded this seminar.

A Freedom Electronic Network to alert on Free Expression

Protecting journalists in the Arab world could not be achieved through protesting governments’ measures and policies like what other international groups does in other parts of the world. The approach that should be carried out in the Middle East, particularly in the Arab world, should shape up in a true action format.

The media network that CDFJ intends creating is built upon providing media and protection resources to be used by journalists and media activists throughout the Arab world; legislation and other laws of concern to the media community especially those considered to restrict freedom of the press; accurate and fast information on recent attacks on the press and journalists as well as serving as an outreach vehicle for media organizations and journalists seeking networking with international NGOs and foundations

The project specifically aims at; Building a system of alerts on free expression abuses and issues throughout the Arab world; Provide informative online resources that assist in protecting joumalists and media organizations; Develop a database center that serves NGOs and activists in the Arab world in terms of seeking support and aid from outside and Report, articulate and monitor the state of freedom and democracy in the Arab world.

Through a start up grant from the New York based Open Society Institute the project shall launch on the World Wide Web around the middle of February 2000. CDFJ will continue seeking further support to extend the life and capabilities of the project.

Freedom Education for Jordanian Journalists

CDFJ attempts providing the much needed orientation with practical and theory knowledge of professional standards in journalism as well as arming local journalists in Jordan with understanding of the internationally standards that stipulates basis of free expression and democratic values.

Through a series of training seminars that the Center will be organizing with the support of Washington, US based National Endowment for Democracy, the Center will extend capabilities of journalists on issues such as understanding legislation issues that relates to the context of their work.

The Center will also produce a series of handy booklets that would provide practical knowledge and guidance on protection resources and other tools that could be used through the day to day practice of journalism.

The first two workshops will be on "Dealing with the Press Law" and "Ethics and the Responsibility of Journalists". Towards the end of the year, CDFJ will produce a book titled (Jordanian Journalists’ Guide to Legislation and Protection resources) which will cover the themes of the two workshops in a manual format.

Future Projects

The Center will seek support for a long term objective which is to establish a network of volunteer and commissioned lawyers and advocates who can work with the Center on defending the constitutional rights of journalists and media workers in Jordan and other parts of the Arab world.

Another long-term objective that the Center will be pursuing is to establish a "Freedom Fund" for supporting imprisoned journalists or those media personnel retarded by legal cases.

CDFJ will continue conducting research on issues related to media professional development and would also be providing training and protection resources for journalists .throughout the Arab world.

On a regional level, the Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists will work closely with the London based Center for Media Freedom in the Middle East and North Africa on issues such as the Broadcast and Satellite media development throughout the Arab world information technology and the Internet usage in a Free Expression context.

Addresses and Contacts

Amman - University Street

Tel: +962 6 5160820
Fax: +962 6 5160810

PO Box 961167, Code 11196
Amman — Jordan

Nidal Mansour, President
Fadi al-Qadi, Executive Director
email: fqadi@index.com.jo