Jordan’s Royal Court distances itself from royal family’s remarks

The Jordanian Royal Court has issued a statement on Saturday distancing itself from any statements or opinions expressed by the royal family members on social networking sites.

The statement said: “In light of the increasing use of various media outlets and social media platforms to express views and opinions, including by royal family members, many of whom occupy positions in international organisations and NGOs and rely on media outlets and social media tools to convey their points of view and positions, the Royal Hashemite Court asserts that any statements, opinions or comments made by royal family members strictly express the personal views of those individuals, as royal family members are entitled, like any Jordanian citizen, to express their personal opinions.”

The statement, which was published by the Jordanian official news agency Petra, explained that only official statements issued by the Royal Hashemite Court or through the media and social media channels of King Abdullah II and Crown Prince Al-Hussein Bin Abdullah II express the kingdom’s official positions.

Queen Noor Al-Hussein, the wife of the late Jordanian King Hussein Bin Talal, stirred controversy on social networking sites after she shared a MEMO article entitled “The noose tightens on freedom of speech in Jordan”, according to observers.

The noose tightens on freedom of speech in Jordan https://t.co/OJT5pYFRLE via @middleeastmnt

— Noor Al Hussein (@QueenNoor) August 30, 2015

In response to the official statement by the Jordanian Royal Court, Queen Noor tweeted the following:

It’s a good statement & probably not about my retweet of an article 1st distributed by said RHC to me and others https://t.co/OvGDkeDMII

— Noor Al Hussein (@QueenNoor) September 6, 2015