The Jordanian satellite channel, "Roya", said on Friday that the authorities have suspended its general manager and news director after broadcasting a report on the curfew imposed to counter the emerging corona virus and its impact on workers.
The private channel said on its news site that "the public prosecutor at the State Security Court began yesterday, Thursday, the investigation of the channel's general manager, Faris al-Sayegh, and the director of news, Muhammad al-Khalidi, against the background of publishing one of the media materials."
She added that the Public Prosecution decided to arrest Al-Sayegh and Al-Khaldi for 14 days. The channel said it was "and will continue to be supportive of the Jordanian state's efforts in all crises, as it is part of the country's flags who work with high professionalism and a responsible national sense." And it affirmed "its respect for the principle of the rule of law, independence and impartiality of the Jordanian fair judiciary."
A report broadcast by "Roya" on Wednesday included meetings with daily workers affected by the curfew imposed in the Kingdom to confront the Corona virus. One of the workers said, "We all work for a daily wage, within two to three days. If we do not have the opportunity to work, I will have to steal."
Another woman said, "Lift this siege on our behalf. If this siege is not lifted within two days, I will go to the street to beg. We want to feed our children."
On the 18th of last month, the government decided to suspend the work of ministries, departments, institutions and schools until mid-April, as part of its efforts to contain the new Corona virus.
Then, on the 21st of the same month, it imposed a curfew as part of the measures it took to confront the Covid-19 pandemic.
The authorities later eased the ban, allowing some vital sectors to operate within specific conditions and hours, and also allowed citizens to go out on foot to shop from groceries and shops near their place of residence.
Last month, the army closed the capital, Amman, and all governorates of the Kingdom, and prevented movement between it until further notice.