OH, BROTHER

Palace Intrigue: Jordanian Prince’s Associates Charged With Sedition

The move comes two months after Prince Hamzah bin Hussein spoke out against the kingdom and was placed under house arrest.

Two months after the former crown prince of Jordan claimed the kingdom was trying to silence him with house arrest, two of his top associates have been charged with sedition. It's unclear what the new development means for Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, who was accused in early April of plotting to overthrow his half-brother, King Abdullah II. Hamzah has not spoken publicly since vowing that he would not be silenced, only to have the royal family release a statement suggesting he had backed down. Those named in Sunday’s indictment are Bassem Awadallah, who reportedly has ties to Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, who is a member of the royal family. Jordan is wasting no time putting them on trial: the case begins next week.