The Jordanian government withdrew its cybercrime bill from parliament Dec. 9 upon the request of Parliament Speaker Atef Tarawneh. The move comes in the wake of protests against the bill and demanding political and economic reforms. Jordanians organized a sit-in on Thursday near the government headquarters in Amman in protest of the economic situation, chanting slogans against the income tax and cybercrime laws.

Government spokesperson Jumana Ghunaimat said in a press statement that the decision was made in response to the demands of representatives of civil society, syndicates and political parties, among others, during their meeting with Prime Minister Oman al-Razzaz.

The amendments made to the draft law had raised the concerns of Jordanian activists who feared it would undermine freedom of expression.

A Jordanian court sentenced six journalists to six months in prison and fined them $80,000 on Nov. 27. Royal Court Secretary General Youssef Issawi had filed a complaint In October 2017 to the Anti-Cybercrime Unit at the Public Security Directorate because of a video the journalists posted on Facebook and other online media about the construction of his palace. The journalists accused Issawi of appropriating government funds and state lands to build a road to his palace.