Jordanian state security court rejected the motion filed by the defense to summon princes Hamzah, Ali and Hashim as witnesses in the case of an attempted coup
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st July, 2021) Jordanian state security court rejected the motion filed by the defense to summon princes Hamzah, Ali and Hashim as witnesses in the case of an attempted coup.
"The court decided not to call in the witnesses for the defense, after we filed a motion during previous hearings," Mohamed Afif, a lawyer of one of the key defendants in the case, former royal court chief Bassem Awadallah, told reporters.
The lawyer stressed that the entire list of witnesses requested by the defense, including three members of the royal family, was rejected. According to Afif, the court cited "lack of productivity and illegality, as well as the fact that the invitation of some witnesses may slow down the course of the trial" as reasons behind the decision.
The next hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, during which the defense will present its written pleadings to the court. The final decision is expected to be delivered one week after the filing of the documents.
On June 21, Awadallah and King Abdullah II's distant cousin, Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, faced trial behind closed doors on charges of sedition and plotting to destabilize the monarchy.
The court did not press charges against Prince Hamzah, despite the Jordanian security forces claiming that he was at the center of an alleged plot to overthrow the king, who stripped him of his crown prince title in 2004.
The scandal broke out in April when the state news agency announced that the prince and several officials were detained on suspicion they had been undermining national security. King Abdullah said the royal family was dealing with Hamzah privately.
