Amman: The Jordanian State Security Court is expected to announce Monday’s verdict at the trial of two former officials accused of planning to step brother from King Abdullah II for united riots in the kingdom.
Bassem Awadallah, a US citizen and former aide on the King, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family, was arrested in April for alleged plots of the kingdom involving Prince Hamzah, a king’s star and former crown prince.
The royal family said it resolved a dispute with Hamzah, whose status was unknown but was never charged formally.
US lawyer Awadallah said he was tortured in Jordan’s detention and fear of his life.
All three were accused of triggering riots against the king while asking for foreign assistance.
Hamzah denied the allegations in the video statement released in April after he was placed under house arrest, he said he was silenced for talking to corruption and poor government by the ruling system.
The two defendants claimed not to be guilty of incitement and incitement, which brought a long prison term.
Abdullah is estimated in Washington on July 19, when he will become the first Arab leader to meet with President Joe Biden in the White House.
Jordan is a close US allies in the Middle East and is seen as the main partner in the end of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Michael Sullivan, a former federal prosecutor who was hired by the US-based family, told the Associated Press that a closed trial, which only consisted of six hearings, “really unfair.” Awadallah said he had been beaten, experiencing electric shock and threatened with the persecution in the future “if he did not confess,” said Sullivan.
The court denied requests by the Jordanian defense lawyer to call witnesses and prosecutors only shared the intended transcript, but not an audio, from the alleged supervision of plotter.
The Prosecutor’s Office in the State Security Court denied the trial was unfair, saying awadallah was given a process that was in line with Jordania law and was not persecuted in any way.
Awadallah said only lifted allegations of torture when the verdict approached.
Sullivan, a former US lawyer for Massachusetts and former director of acting Federal Alcohol Bureau, tobacco, firearms and explosives, said that based on the way the trial was carried out, a guilty verdict seemed to be a previous conclusion.
He said every belief would appeal.
Awadallah, who also held Jordan and Saudi citizenship, served as Head of the Royal Court and Government Minister in Jordan.
He has a broad business interest in the bay and has suggested a strong Saudi Arab Arab crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, about attracting foreign investment.
Awadallah’s family urged the Biden government to call for his release.
Jordanian court to announce verdict in alleged royal plot
