Jordan refers ex-royal court chief to security court over 'sedition'

The Public Prosecutor of the State Security Court in Jordan yesterday issued an indictment against Bassem Ibrahim Awadallah, former head of the royal court, and Sharif Hassan Bin Zaid, a member of the royal family, over their involvement in a so- called “sedition case”, Jordan News Agency (Petra) reported.

The agency said the case file had been sent to the Public Prosecutor of the State Security Court for action.

On 3 April 2021, a security source announced the arrest of Awadallah and Bin Zaid along with others for security reasons.

The next day, Minister of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs, Ayman Safadi, said security services had monitored the movements of 16 defendants, in addition to Bin Zaid and Awadallah, who were targeting the kingdom’s security and stability.

Al-Safadi added that comprehensive investigations carried out by the security services monitored “interferences and communications, including contacts with external parties, regarding the most appropriate timing to take steps to destabilise Jordan’s security”.

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