Jordan: Prince Hamzah stays defiant amid palace turmoil

Jordan’s Prince Hamzah, accused of a “wicked” conspiracy towards his elder half-brother King Abdullah II, has insisted he is not going to obey orders proscribing his motion whereas beneath home arrest.
Hamzah, 41, mentioned he has been threatened by the Jordanian safety providers however doesn’t plan to stick to their “unacceptable” orders that he stay confined at residence, reduce off from public communication, in response to a brand new voice recording launched on Monday.
The authorities has accused Hamzah of being concerned in a plot to “destabilize the kingdom’s security,” and positioned him beneath arrest in his Amman palace, whereas detaining greater than a dozen others.
Hamzah defiant
But Hamzah hit again, saying: “I don’t want to make moves and escalate now, but of course I’m not going to obey when they say you can’t go out, you can’t tweet, you can’t communicate with people, you’re only allowed to see your family.”

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi mentioned Sunday that the prince had recorded conversations and given them to overseas sources, as he sought help elsewhere.
Safadi didn’t present specifics on the alleged plot or say what nations had been presupposed to have been concerned.
But he mentioned that some 14 to 16 associates of Hamzah had been arrested, along with Bassem Awadallah, a former Cabinet minister and one-time head of the royal courtroom, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal household.
US backs Abdullah
The US and Arab governments have been fast to facet with King Abdullah II, reflecting the nation’s strategic significance.
Domestically, Prince Hamzah’s unprecedented criticism of the ruling class — with out naming the king — may lend help to rising complaints about poor governance and human rights abuses in Jordan.
‘Wicked slander’
Abdullah and Hamzah are each sons of the late King Hussein, who stays a beloved determine greater than 20 years after his loss of life. Upon ascending to the throne in 1999, Abdullah named Hamzah as crown prince, solely to revoke the title 5 years later.

While the pair are mentioned to have typically good relations, Hamzah has at occasions spoken out towards authorities insurance policies, and extra lately had cast ties with highly effective tribal leaders in a transfer seen as a risk to the king.
King Hussein’s widow Queen Noor, has posted a protection of her son, Hamzah, on Twitter saying: “Praying that truth and justice will prevail for all the innocent victims of this wicked slander.”