Jordan sentences Israel citizen to 4 months in prison

On Monday a Jordanian court sentenced an Israeli, who illegally entered Jordan, to four months in prison and fined him 1,000 Jordanian Dinars ($1,450), Petra, the Jordanian official news agency, reported.

According to Petra, the Israeli, who was identified as Konstantin Kotov, 35, had crossed into Jordan illegally on 29 October 2019, and was caught in possession of NIS 27,000, as well as drugs.

The Israeli pleaded guilty to crossing the borders illegally, but pleaded not guilty to drug possession, which he stated was intended for personal use only, claiming this to be legal in Israel.

Local sources revealed that the court sentenced Kotov to one year in prison for drug possession, insisting that drug possession is illegal in Jordan. However, the sentence was reduced to three months, because he is married with children.

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Meanwhile, he was sentenced to four months in prison, due to his illegal entry into the country and fined for 1,000 Jordanian Dinars ($1,450).

Kotov, who entered Jordan on foot, did not disclose why he entered the country illegally.

Prior to the court sentences, Jordanians gathered several times and called for the King to carry out a prisoner swap, but their calls were ignored, likely due to the peace treaty and the existence of diplomatic representation between the two countries.