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Jordanian activists and online platforms said security forces arrested academic and novelist Ayman Otoom late Friday night while he was traveling from Irbid to Amman, though authorities have not publicly clarified the reasons for the arrest.
According to the accounts circulated, Otoom was detained while returning to his home in Amman from Irbid.
He was driving with his wife and mother when security forces arrested him, leaving the two women alone on a public street late at night.
The sources said the arrest was carried out under what is known as the “Cybercrimes Law,” while Jordanian authorities have not issued any official statement explaining the details or reasons for the operation.
Otoom is regarded as a leading figure in Jordan’s literary scene. Several of his novels have gained wide recognition, including “Hadith al-Junud” (Talk of the Soldiers) and “Yasma‘un Hasisaha” (They Hear Its Hissing).
He is also a well-known Jordanian academic. He was born in the town of Souf in Jerash and holds two bachelor’s degrees in engineering and Arabic language, in addition to a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in Arabic language. He is considered a notable figure in Irbid and one of the leading writers in Jordan and the Arab world.
Reports linking to the case said Otoom’s arrest came days after his son was released after having been detained along with a group of students for refusing to celebrate Christmas.
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