SILENT TREATMENT

Jordan’s Prince Hamzah Vows to Defy Silencing Order: ‘I Am Going to Escalate’

The former crown prince and half-brother of King Abdullah said from house arrest that he would not obey the kingdom’s order to zip it.

Jordan’s Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, the former crown prince and half-brother of ruler King Abdullah, has vowed to defy an order meant to silence him. “I am going to escalate and won’t obey when they tell you you cannot go out or tweet or reach out to people and are only allowed to see the family,” he said in the recording released late Sunday. On Saturday, the military accused the son of American-born Queen Noor and late King Hussein of undermining “security and stability” in the country. On Sunday, Jordan’s foreign minister accused the 41-year-old of aligning with foreign powers in a “malicious plot” to destabilize the country.

Prince Hamzah was removed from his position as heir to the throne in 2004 by King Abdullah in a move meant to consolidate his power. He has been highly critical of the current Jordanian rule of law.