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Jordan issues gag order on news relating to Prince Hamza

April 7, 2021 at 10:48 am

Prince Hamzah Bin Al Hussein, half-brother of Jordan’s King Abdullah II [Wikipedia]

Amman’s Attorney General, Hassan Abdallat, yesterday issued a gag order on the publication of any information related to Prince Hamza Bin Al Hussein and others to preserve the confidentiality of investigations conducted by security apparatus, Petra news agency reported.

In a statement reported by Petra, Abdallat said: “The gag order will be in effect until further notice, and includes a ban on audio-visual media and social networking sites, and on the publication and circulation of any pictures or video clips related to the incident under the penalty of criminal liability.”

He added: “The decision is based on the provisions of Article 255 of the Penal Code, 38 C, and D of the Press and Publication Law and Article 39 of the Press and Publication Law, which allow the Public Prosecution to issue a gag order banning the publication of everything related to any stage of the investigation of any issue or crime that occurs in the Kingdom.”

This came, the official news agency said, after a pledge by Prince Hamza made to his uncle Prince Al Hassan Bin Talal on Monday, undertaking allegiance to King Abdullah II and stressing that the crisis had ended.

Prince Hamza said he was being held under house arrest on Saturday evening after officials said he was orchestrating a coup attempt. At least 16 others were also detained after authorities said extensive surveillance had found them plotting to disrupt the security and stability of Jordan in cooperation with foreign entities.

Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister Ayman al-Safadi said On Sunday that officials had monitored for a long time the activities of those “whose goals were to strike Jordan, its stability, and promote sedition.”

READ: Jordan’s Prince Hamza says he will disobey army orders to keep silent