Sameer Nemrawi is a Jordanian teacher and political activist who has expressed his support for Palestine, notably calling for demonstrations in support of Gaza, and criticising the economic situation of Jordan on his social media platforms.
On November 7, 2023, while he was absent from his home, Nemrawi’s house was raided by security forces, who had no search warrant. His home and furniture were left severely damaged. The same day, he was arrested on a street in the Irbid governorate by members of the General Intelligence Directorate (GID) and the Preventive security branch of the Public Security Directorate (PSD), who dragged and beat him.
He was charged with “unlawful gathering”, “spreading false news targeting the national security and community peace”, and “insulting a symbol of the state” under the Cybercrime Law and the Penal Code, and later in November sentenced to one year in prison.
While in prison, Nemrawi was subjected to psychological pressure and intimidations.
In the beginning of April 2024, he was deprived of family visits. On 28 April 2024, Nemrawi’s elderly mother came to Marka prison in an effort to come visit him but members of the PSD and prison administration denied the visit. During the month of April, he was only allowed to contact his family on one occasion, during which he communicated to them that this deprivation of family visits was a form of reprisal for his support for Gaza.
On May 5, 2024, Nemrawi’s sister went to Marka prison to visit her brother, but members of the prison administration and the Preventive security branch of the PSD informed her that he had been charged with “resisting security personnel” while in detention in Marka prison. They informed her that as a consequence, Nemrawi was denied visits until further notice, and the prison administrator finally allowed her to visit him for no more than 5 minutes, upon the condition that the visitation denial would remain in force until a decision was issued by the prison administration.
During Nemrawi’s sister’s short visit to her brother, he told her that he had been severely beaten by members of the GID and of the Preventive security branch of the PSD. He explained to her that he did not resist them, and held that his charge of “resisting security personnel” was a false charge brought against him by the Marka prison administration and the preventive security branch of the PSD.
Shortly after, Mr Nemrawi was transferred to Ma’an prison in southern Jordan, where visits were permitted again. However, since Ma’an Prison is approximately 350 kilometres away from his family, they were unable to visit him frequently.
On August 26, 2024, Nemrawi was released from prison.
On October 10, 2024, Nemrawi was arrested again. On October 13, 2024, he was presented before the public prosecutor in Amman and charged under the Cybercrime Law for posts criticising the poor state of Jordanian prisons and the ill-treatment of prisoners. He was sentenced to three months in prison and is currently held in Marka prison.
On December 18, 2024, MENA Rights Group submitted a general allegation to UN Special Procedures regarding the ongoing crackdown on pro-Palestinian activists in Jordan, which includes the detention of Nemrawi.