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Jordan begins hearings into sedition case involving prince

June 22, 2021 at 10:33 am

Security measures outside the State Security Court as Jordan begins trial of alleged April coup attempt which former Crown Prince Hamzah bin Al-Hussein was involved, in Amman, Jordan on June 21, 2021 [Mohamad Salaheddin/Anadolu Agency]

Jordan’s State Security Court yesterday started hearings into the “sedition” case in which a former minister and member of the royal family are facing charges of incitement, Petra news agency reported.

Former Jordanian Minister of Planning and Finance, Bassem Awadallah, and Al Sharif Abdul-Rahman-Hassan Bin Zaid are accused of inciting Jordanians against the king.

The two defendants attended the court session which was held in private.

At the beginning of the hearing, which lasted four hours, the court listened to five public prosecution witnesses.

The indictment was read to the defendants, Petra reported, who pleaded not guilty to all charges. The session was then adjourned until today.

READ: Jordan prince may testify in ‘coup’ case

Awadallah and Hassan Bin Zaid are being prosecuted for “carrying out acts that endanger the safety and security of society and stirring up sedition in violation of Jordanian law.”

Bin Zaid also faces claims of possessing narcotics.

On 4 April, Jordanian authorities announced that the king’s half-brother, Prince Hamzah, was involved in an attempt to disturb the country’s security and mobilise Jordanians against the state in coordination with external sides.

Prince Hamzah, who was once the crown prince, denied the claims. He is not set to stand trial.

Media reported at the time that this was an attempted coup aimed at ousting King Abdullah II.

On 22 April, the king ordered the court to release 16 of the 18 defendants in the case.