A national consortium has been formed in Jordan to push for revisions to the access to information law.

The Jordan Transparency Center, the organizer of the effort, reports that 27 civil society organizations and 23 activists from law and media firms are participating.

The allies recently discussed amendments proposed by the government to the parliament for discussion and endorsement. “These minor amendments are insufficient and inadequate,” the JTC said.  Among other things, the government has proposed, without consultations, to reduce the waiting period from 30 to 15 days and to add the presidents of law and press associations as members to the information council

Working in collaboration with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in Jordan, the consortium has drafted alternative proposals for which it plans to campaign.

A JTC description of the existing law says:

Those with extensive experience in the Law are frustrated by the general terms provided in the Law and by the lack of a proper time framework when enforcing it. Until today, the Law has been inefficient in reflecting neither on anti-corruption measures nor on equality between citizens. 

The Jordanian government recently blocked local access to about 300 news Web sites under a new law.

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