AKEED, Husam Assal

Several media outlets attributed the brawl and ensuing acts of violence in Sarih in the Irbid Governorate on Monday, 8 May, mistakenly to the relegation of Sarih Football Club to the First League, which proved to be untrue. The brawl and acts of violence were due to a quarrel between two neighboring families from two different tribes. The situation developed into a brawl and shooting, which resulted in the death of a person by gunfire at the King Abdullah University Hospital in Irbid and the wounding of others.

Several electronic sites published news about the brawl, suggesting that it was due to the relegation of Sarih Football Club to the First League. Some of them linked this to the burning of the house of the president of Sarih Club during the incidents of violence.

One website published a report under the headline "Irbid: Injuries in Armed Fight After Relegation of Sarih Club." The website then published another report under the headline "Source Reveals Reason for Sarih Incidents in Which Dr. Shiab Was Killed," saying that "investigations with the detained persons showed that the reason for the brawl is that a vehicle was parked in front a house in the town." However, the first story was not removed.

Another website followed suit. It first published a story, saying that the reason for the brawl was the relegation of Sarih Club, and then published another story headlined "Real Reason Behind Sarih Brawl," in which it said that "the brawl erupted in the wake of quarrels between two families, and not due to the relegation of Sarih Club from the Jordanian Professional League, as was rumored."

Several media outlets mentioned the real reason for the brawl, which is a quarrel between two families, and the story was attributed to a security source.

The Jordanian Media Credibility Monitor contacted Amir Sartawi, official spokesman for the Public Security Directorate, who confirmed that the brawl had nothing to do with the relegation of Sarih Football Club to the First League and that the reason for the brawl and the violence was a quarrel that had erupted between two neighboring families.

Attributing the brawl to the relegation of Sarih Football Club to the First League comes at a time when tensions are running high in sports circles because some fans had shouted controversial slogans while rooting for their teams. These slogans were largely reported on social media platforms.

Publishing undocumented and inaccurate information hastily in such cases could broaden the issue and give it new dimensions, which could fuel violence, especially since some websites republish news without confirming the accuracy of what is published in other media outlets.

The AKEED Monitor thinks that attributing the brawl to an incorrect reason by some media outlets is a violation of the Press Code of Honor since Article 9 stipulates the following: "The mission of journalism requires accuracy and objectivity, and its practice requires confirming the accuracy of information and news before publishing it. In this context, journalists shall observe the following:

A. Not publishing unconfirmed, misleading, distorted, or propagandistic information, including pictures, articles, and comments. Also, a clear distinction must be made between fact and commentary or opinion and news.

B. Correcting published information if it turns out that there is a mistake in it. The press or media establishment must immediately publish a correction or apology for any distortion or mistake to which it was a party, and give the right of reply to any wrong piece of information to individuals and to official and civil society organizations that are concerned with the published subject and whenever there is a need for this. They must publish apologies in appropriate cases and as a standard procedure."