Suspicion of conspiracy in Jordan: Prince Hamza refuses to remain silent
Accused of involvement in an "evil" plot against his country, Prince Hamza of Jordan, half-brother of King Abdullah II, displayed his distrust by expressing his refusal to obey the injunctions to cease his "activities" and to restrict his movements.
KHALIL MAZRAAWI AFP / File
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4 min
In Jordan, Prince Hamza refuses to comply with his house arrest. King Abdullah II's half-brother is accused of having participated in an attempt to “destabilize” the kingdom, in critical meetings of the authorities in place.
About fifteen people were arrested on Saturday, he tries to defend himself despite reduced means of communication.
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Accused of involvement in an "
evil
"
plot
against his country, Prince Hamza of Jordan, half-brother of King Abdullah II, displayed his distrust by expressing his refusal to obey the injunctions to cease his "
activities
" and to restrict his movements.
In a first video Prince Hamza had shouted his innocence.
"
I am not responsible for the corruption and incompetence of the Jordanian authorities
" he affirmed, denouncing a political class which would put its own interests before those of the population.
He also warned that his internet connection would soon be cut.
This time, it is the recording of a telephone conversation which was broadcast on Twitter during the night from Sunday to Monday.
The prince affirmed to an unidentified interlocutor: "
It is sure that I will not obey
(the orders of the Chief of Staff, General Youssef Huneiti)
when he tells me that I am not authorized to go out, to tweeting, communicating with people and that I am only allowed to see my family.
"
The Jordanian prince therefore refuses to remain silent, as he has been ordered.
He will stay at home for now, but only while waiting for further messages to be made public.
He says he recorded a conversation that would have gone wrong between him and the Chief of Staff who came to notify him on Saturday that he was placed under house arrest.
Prince Hamza, suspected of activities that could harm the kingdom
This plot, the first of its kind since the creation of the Hashemite kingdom 100 years ago, came to light on Saturday with the implication of Prince Hamza in "
activities
" that could harm the kingdom and the arrest of several Jordanian personalities. , including former officials for "
security reasons
".
On the same day, Prince Hamza, eldest son of the late King Hussein, and Queen Noor, an American, announced that he was under house arrest in his palace in Amman.
The authorities have not confirmed this house arrest.
The next day, Deputy Prime Minister Aymane Safadi claimed that the "
sedition
" had been "
nipped in the bud
" after accusing Prince Hamza of having collaborated with an
unidentified "
foreign power
" in an attempt to destabilize the kingdom and announced the arrest of fifteen people, including Bassem Awadallah, a former adviser to the king.
Prince Hamza is a popular figure in Jordanian society.
King Abdullah withdrew his title of crown prince from him in 2004. Since then he has been marginalized, but irritates the authorities.
He is close to the people, frequently denounces the corruption and incompetence of the ruling system, and maintains strong ties with leaders of powerful tribes.
►
To read: Arrests at the heart of the royal power of Jordan
(With
AFP
)
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