Jordan justice bans publishing information on royal family feud 'to safeguard secrecy'

The prosecutor general in Jordan’s capital Amman has banned the publication of any information about an alleged plot involving Prince Hamzah. In a televised statement, the prosecutor Hassan al-Abdallat said that in order to keep the security services’ investigation into King Abdullah’s half brother and other secrets, it is decided to “ban the publication” of anything related to this inquiry at this stage. It is worth mentioning that the latest order comes after Prince Hamzah pledged loyalty to King Abdullah on Monday, two days after he said he had been placed under house arrest. 

According to the state television, the Prosecutor said, “The ban on publication involves all audiovisual media and social networks, as well as the publication of all images or video clips relating to this subject on pain of legal action”. 

Jordan government has accused the former crown prince of a “malicious plot” and involvement in a seditious conspiracy to destabilise the kingdom’s security. The deputy PM of Jordan has said Prince Hamza had been liaising with foreign parties about destabilising the country and had been monitored for some time. Ayman Safadi even went on to allege that a man with links to foreign security services had offered Prince Hamzah’s wife, Princess Basmah, a flight out of Jordan. 

The Prince had earlier released two videos to BBC in which he had claimed that he was being held under house arrest. Prince Hamah had denied the conspiracy and further accused Jordan’s leaders of corruption and incompetence. Following the video, sixteen people, including a former adviser to King Abdullah another member of the royal family, were arrested on Saturday for allegedly threatening security. 

Prince Hamzah pledges loyalty to King 

However, on Monday, the rift between Jordan's King Abdullah II and his half-brother, Prince Hamzah de-escalated after the mediation from King Abdullah's paternal uncle, Hassan, who got the estranged Prince to sign a letter to remain faithful to Jordan’s constitution and the country’s ruler. In the letter that was published by the Royal Hashemite Court on the official Facebook handle, King Abdullah II's half-brother vowed his loyalty to the king. The former prince vowed his loyalty not only to the king but also to towards the legacy of the Hashemite family, as he acknowledged that the national interests of the country were above all other considerations as per the letter released by the royal court.

Prince Hamzah said, “I place myself in the hands of His Majesty, I will remain committed to the constitution of the dear Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and I will always be of help and support to his majesty the king and his crown prince”. 

(Image: AP)