BY AGENCY REPORTER
A Jordanian court on Monday convicted two senior figures accused of taking part in an alleged destabilizing plot involving the king’s half-brother and former crown prince, Hamzah.
Each defendant was sentenced to 15 years in prison, the state-run Petra news agency reported.
The case, known in the kingdom as the “sedition plot,” erupted in April when Hamzah said the army told him not to leave his house or communicate with anyone, revealing a rare public split within the Hashemite ruling family.
Eighteen people were arrested, many of them, close aides to Hamzah.
Sixteen were later released after a royal order and two only were referred to a State Security Court.
The two are former finance minister and ex-chief of the royal court Bassem Awadallah and member of the royal family Hassan bin Zaid.
Prosecutors accused them of incitement against the regime, attempting to cause sedition and endangering the security of the society.
Hassan bin Zaid was sentenced to another year in prison and a 1,000 dinar (1,400 dollars) for drug abuse, Petra added.
The verdict can be appealed.
Hamzah, 41, was the crown prince between 1999 and 2004, when Abdullah removed him and appointed his own son, al-Hussein, several years later.
dpa/NAN
