""Nahed Hattar's killing is a direct result of lack of commitment to freedom of expression by Jordanian authorities," said Sherif Mansour, CPJ's program coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa. "We call on the government to bring the killer to justice and to change its approach to freedom of the press to foster openness and protection for critical voices."
While the gunman has not been identified, some social media accounts of conservatives in Jordan and elsewhere celebrated Hattar's death and said he deserved it for blasphemy, Al-Jazeera reported.
On a mission to Jordan in August, CPJ found overt censorship by Jordanian authorities as well as self-censorship by journalists fearing reprisal for their work. Officials defended the role of the government as an arbitrator of public debate at a time when the country is facing challenges, including the fight against terrorism and a flood of refugees arriving from neighboring countries."
