Restrictions on Jordan's Prince Hamzah are 'truly bizarre', Queen Noor says

Jordan’s Queen Noor Al-Hussein, wife of the late King Hussein, has called current King Abdullah II’s decision to restrict the communications, place of residence and movement of her son, former crown prince Hamzah, as “truly bizarre”.

“Some truly bizarre and stranger than fiction stuff circulating right now,” Queen Noor wrote on Twitter.

Some truly bizarre and stranger than fiction stuff circulating right now

— Noor Al Hussein (@QueenNoor) May 19, 2022

Yesterday, King Abdullah issued a Royal Decree restricting his half-brother Prince Hamzah’s communications, place of residence and movement.

The decision was declared in a letter from the monarch to the Jordanian people, according to a statement by the Jordanian Royal Court and reported by local media outlets.

Abdullah said he issued the decree after reviewing a recommendation submitted to him by the council formed in accordance with the Royal family Law on 23 December.

The Jordanian king said he chose to deal with Hamzah within the confines of their family and he “exhausted all opportunities to restore himself on the right path” but came to the conclusion “that he will not change”.

In April 2021, authorities in Jordan announced that Prince Hamzah, 41, had coordinated with foreign bodies to “destabilise security in the country, and incite the citizens against the state.”

Prince Hamzah denied the allegations in a video in which he also stated that he was under house arrest. He avoided punishment after pledging allegiance to the king shortly after mediation by royal family elders.

Early last month Prince Hamzah relinquished his royal title in protest over the kingdom’s current policies.

In a letter posted on Twitter, Prince Hamzah said he was giving up his title because his values “are not in line with the approaches, trends, and modern methods of our institutions.”

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