Freedom of expression and assembly

The authorities arbitrarily restricted online and offline expression. In April, security forces arrested activist Adnan Abou Arkoub for chanting slogans during a pro-Gaza protest. He was placed in administrative detention for more than five months without being formally charged.

In May the Jordanian Media Commission, a statutory body responsible for regulating the media, blocked 12 local and foreign media websites for “spreading media poison and attacking Jordan and its national symbols”.

In September the State Security Court upheld the conviction and five-year prison sentence against political activist Ayman Sanduka over a Facebook post addressed to the king in which he criticized Jordan’s relationship with Israel. He had been convicted of “incitement to oppose the political regime”.

Authorities continued to restrict the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, arbitrarily arresting individuals protesting against government policies towards Israel and refusing to allow several planned demonstrations.

Freedom of association

Civil society organizations continued to face extensive restrictions, including mandatory registration, prior government approval, and strict control over foreign funding.

In April, Jordan announced a ban on the activities of the dissolved Muslim Brotherhood (an Islamist association) as well as the closure of its offices and the confiscation of its assets.

Arbitrary detention

Thousands of individuals remained in arbitrary administrative detention without charge or trial, as local governors continued to invoke the 1954 Crime Prevention Law to detain anyone deemed “a danger to the people”. Detainees did not have access to a judicial body to challenge the legality of their detention.

In July, activist Bushra al-Absi was administratively detained for 12 days. She was not informed of any charges, but during questioning was asked about communications with groups organizing Gaza solidarity protests. She told Amnesty International that she was mistreated, including by being placed in solitary confinement as punishment for her hunger strike.

Women’s and girls’ rights

Women continued to face discrimination in law and practice including in matters of marriage, divorce and child custody. They were also subject to male guardianship requirements in certain personal status and administrative matters, which limited their autonomy.

In March the lower house of parliament approved key amendments to the Labour Law, including extending paid maternity leave from 10 weeks to 90 consecutive days. The amendments also prohibit the dismissal of pregnant employees at any stage of pregnancy, replacing the previous provision that protected women after six months of pregnancy. The draft law still required approval from the upper house and ratification by the king before it could enter into force.

Women remained under-represented in governmental positions due to restrictive gender norms and systemic inequalities. According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2025, structural gaps persisted, with men participating in the workforce at nearly four times the rate of women.

Refugees’ and migrants’ rights

From December 2024 to May 2025, approximately 75,500 Syrian refugees returned from Jordan to Syria, according to UNHCR, the UN refugee agency.

As of August, according to UNHCR, Jordan was hosting around 506,000 refugees and asylum seekers, the majority from Syria but also from Iraq, Yemen, Sudan and other countries. Jordan also hosted more than 2.39 million Palestinian refugees registered with the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, most of whom were long-term residents.

Funding cuts, including reductions in financial aid from the USA, severely affected refugee services, leading to the reduction or suspension of essential programmes such as primary healthcare, education and protection. According to UNHCR, around 43,000 refugees risked losing access to primary healthcare and cash assistance, while 335,000 women of reproductive age were at risk of not receiving essential maternal services.

In January the national monthly minimum wage rose from JOD 260 to JOD 290 (approximately USD 367 to USD 409). However, this increase did not apply to certain groups including migrant domestic workers as well as workers in the garment/export sector, the majority of whom were migrants. The minimum wage for migrant workers remained lower under a separate sectoral agreement.

Right to water

Jordan continued to face one of the world’s worst water crises. Per-person water availability fell to about 60m³ per year – well below the threshold for “absolute scarcity” of 500m³ per year – undermining the rights to water, health and an adequate standard of living, and disproportionately affecting rural communities, refugees and low-income households. Droughts were projected to intensify due to climate change, according to scientific studies.

Right to a healthy environment

According to the World Bank, Jordan succeeded in reducing its consumption of hydrochlorofluorocarbons – potent greenhouse gases – by 87% through a World Bank-supported industrial phase-out project.