AKEED, Lana Kazkaz

Mainstream media and social media websites carried a tweet posted by Jordanian MP Tarek Khoury on his personal page on Twitter in the wake of clashes in Palestine on 15 May 2018 on the 70th anniversary of the Nakba. Khoury's tweet was as follows: "Indeed, Muhammad died, and left behind girls." He also used the hashtag "#Gaza_O Arabs."

The tweet generated a big debate between activists on social media pages and in other media outlets. Users deplored his use of this description since it carries "a religious name and symbol." Some people maintained that the tweet "fuels sectarian discord and insults religious sentiments," while others said that "the tweet suggests that the nation of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, lacks manliness."

In the wake of the negative reactions and the attack on him by social media users after writing this tweet, Khoury reposted the tweet along with a picture of a woman from the one-million-person march in Palestine. He wrote the following: "The intent is clear. Everybody knows what I mean. The attached picture explains it more, but unfortunately people seek to split hairs. They forget Palestine because of their inaction."

Some media outlets were satisfied with reporting the tweet only, while others contacted the MP and gave him a chance to explain what he meant. According to what he stated, the tweet is taken from the popular saying "Muhammad died, and left behind girls." He said he used it to express pride in the girls of Gaza, who are staging resistance and guarding the border. He did not mean to insult Prophet Muhammad, God's peace and blessings be upon him. The picture he attached with the tweet "confirms that we all take pride in women who stage resistance. All that is said is sheer distortion and fabrication."

On the same day, media outlets carried a photocopy of a complaint filed by social activist Mohammed Zaid Shoubaki with Amman Public Prosecutor Rami Tarawneh against MP Tarek Khoury, accusing him of insulting religious sentiments and fueling sectarian discord. The media carried another photocopy of a complaint filed by journalist Mohammed Saleh Abu Hilal with the Zarqa Court against MP Tarek Khoury on charges of contempt for religions. The complaint stated the following: "On 15 May 2018, Tarek Khoury posted a tweet on Twitter, in which he wrote 'indeed, Muhammad died, and left behind girls.' While showing full appreciation for women and their role in society, the sentence written by the MP suggests that the nation of Muhammad, God's peace and blessings be upon him, lacks manliness. This is considered contempt for the Islamic religion." 

Reacting to those who plan to sue him, the MP stated that he did not insult anybody and that he was ready to defend himself. He said that some of his enemies sought to target him personally. He argued that had another person written the tweet on Twitter, there would not be this sharp reaction.

Mahmoud Qteishat, lawyer of the Jordan Press Association who is specialized in media legislation, said in a call with the AKEED Monitor that "criminal cases are built on the conviction of the judge regarding what he concludes based on the exhibits in front of him. In other words, if the complaint is contempt for religions or insulting religious sentiments, its interpretation based on the conditions of publishing is up to the competent court by evaluating the exhibits produced by the prosecution, complainant, or defense." He added that "MP Tarek Khoury is a controversial figure. This has contributed to aggravating the reaction to his tweet."

Dr. Sakher Khasawneh, professor of media legislation, told the Jordanian Media Credibility Monitor (AKEED) that "tweets that contain religious symbols are sensitive. Such a tweet raises issues and negative reactions, especially when it is made by a person who has a social status or who has a different opinion, religion, or thought. This is because society understands these statements differently. This creates a generally negative feeling toward any tweet, statement, or saying outside the way society understands it."

He added that "media reporting that a person had filed a complaint with the public prosecutor means that it is not permissible to speak about the details of the post and for the public to interpret the expressions in order not to influence due process through what is published about this case. The investigations conducted by the public prosecution are considered confidential, in accordance with the provisions of the law, and their details may not be published."