Jordan's Prince Hamzah spared prosecution despite fresh allegations

Jordan's Prince Hamzah spared prosecution despite fresh allegations
Despite fresh allegations and a scathing media rebuke, Prince Hamzah will not face prosecution over an alleged coup in Jordan.
2 min read
12 April, 2021
Prince Hamzah is accused of participating in a 'coup' [MOHAMMED KESWANY/AFP/Getty]
Jordan's Prince Hamzah will be spared prosecution over an alleged coup that has rocked the kingdom for more than a week, Arabi21 has reported.

Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh informed the Senate on Monday that the king's half-brother will not be formally prosecuted but dealt with "inside the family".

"The accused in [this] case will be referred to the public prosecutor, with the exception of the prince, who will be dealt with inside the family," he said.

Read more: Jordan ‘foils coup attempt involving royal family members, senior officials’

The report comes after fresh allegations levelled against Prince Hamzah, including during the PM's closed meeting with the Senate.

Senators were told that Hamzah and Bassem Awadallah, the Saudi-Jordanian former head of the royal court, have been working together for over a year.

Ammon, a news agency with close ties to Jordanian authorities, reported that there was a discussion of sedition against King Abdullah and breaching the constitution.

This came after Jordanian writer Fahd Al-Khaitan penned a scathing piece for the local Al-Ghad newspaper on Saturday.

Al-Khaitan, who is president of the board of the official AlMamlaka TV, wrote that Prince Hamzah insisted on leading the army in exchange for stopping his anti-government activities.

He wrote that while initially it was believed Prince Hamzah was being used by other parties it now appears he played a direct role in the alleged coup.

"Public opinion will come to appreciate will the magnitude and graveness of the case," he added.

The op-ed comes despite an official media blackout on the affair.

On Sunday, Prince Hamzah was seen publicly with his half-brother the king for the first time since the alleged coup at a ceremony for the 100th anniversary of Jordan's founding.

The royals were shown on state television at a mausoleum where their ancestors are buried.

Hamzah previously signed a letter declaring his loyalty to King Abdullah after meditation by an uncle.


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