Cairo: 23 January 2020
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) has condemned the decision issued by Juvenile Police Department in the capital city of Amman to bring Yemeni student Tujan Al-Bakhiti to trial after the Cybercrime Unit charged her with “insulting religious feelings and beliefs” against the backdrop of some statements posted on social media.
Yemeni student Tujan Ali Al-Bakhiti, daughter of politician Ali Albkhaiti- who had splintered off from the Houthi group- is due to appear before the Juvenile Court in the Jordanian capital, Amman to be tried for sharing some of her father’s posts on social media.
The case dates back to early December 2019, when the administration of Aljazeera School in Amman demanded from Tujan Ali Al-Bakhiti to stop sharing posts on her social media accounts till the rest of the school term. When Tujan rejected this flagrant violation of her right to express her view, the school board summoned her parent or guardian on Monday, 16 December 2019, and threatened to dismiss her from school. The school administrator also demanded from Tujan’s guardian to start looking for another school for his daughter informing him that if she is suspended from the school, would not be able to study in any other school in Jordan.
On Thursday, 19 December, the Juvenile Police subpoenaed Tujan ordering her to come to the police headquarters at 10 am on Friday morning. The next day, 20 December, Tujan appeared before the Prosecutor General, Judge Rana Al-Thunaibat in the absence of her lawyer or guardian over a report filed by the Cybercrime unit.
On 16 January, Tujan attended a new investigation session when was informed that she would be brought to trial and that the self-defense sessions would start on 23 January 2020.
It is noteworthy that the 17-year-old Tujan Ali Al-Bakhiti is a third-grade student in high school (Science section) and it is her last year at school before moving to the university according to the education system adopted in Yemen. She is the daughter of prominent politician Ali Albkhaiti who had broken away from the Houthi group.
Tujan Ali Al-Bakhiti lives with her mother and uncle in Jordan, while her father was forced to leave Amman nearly three months ago and went to Britain to seek political asylum there.
ANHRI called on the Jordanian authorities to deliver justice to student Tujan Ali Al-Bakhiti and stop all these show trials and mockery of justice. ANHRI also called on all journalists and defenders of freedom of opinion and expression to adopt Tujan’s case and defend her right to freedom of expression.
