The Court of Cassation, the highest appellate court in Jordan, ruled on Thursday to uphold the sentence issued against former Royal Court Chief Bassem Awadallah and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family, to 15 years in prison for attempting to destabilize the country. The court confirmed the evidence supporting the judgment issued by the State Security Court in July against Awadallah, who played a significant role in the direction of liberalizing the Jordanian economy, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, who is distantly related to King Abdullah.
In its statement rejecting the appeal, the court said, "The established actions committed by the appellants represented material acts and tangible activities that embodied methods and means intended to encourage and incite opposition to the political regime in Jordan."
Authorities arrested the defendants in early April after Prince Hamzah, the former crown prince, was placed under house arrest amid accusations of communication with external parties in a plot to destabilize Jordan. This case, known as the "sedition" case, shocked the country as it revealed discord within the ruling Hashemite family, which has been a pillar of stability in a tumultuous region in recent years.
Both Awadallah and Sharif Zaid were accused of attempting to promote Prince Hamzah as an alternative to the king and committing acts that threaten public security and incite sedition. They both pleaded not guilty, claiming no connection to the allegations. American lawyer Michael Sullivan, representing Awadallah, who holds U.S. citizenship, stated that his client was tortured and that his confessions were coerced.
In a statement following the ruling, Sullivan said the decision "confirmed the unjust and disgraceful conviction and sentence by the secret military court. This is a dark day for justice." He went on to say that the ruling, which upheld the pre-determined original sentence from a secret court in Jordan, violates all international standards of justice and human rights and mocks the rule of law.
Sullivan noted that Jordanian prosecutors had denied his request to meet Awadallah, adding that they were aware of the U.S. embassy's complaint to the authorities. He stated that Washington "must continue its investigation into the mistreatment of an American citizen." The Jordanian Public Prosecution asserted that Awadallah was never threatened or tortured and that his confessions were not obtained coercively.
Human rights advocates condemned the trial of civilians before the State Security Court, which they argue lacks judicial independence and fair trial standards. Awadallah, a former finance minister, is among the closest economic advisors to Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, complicating the case, according to informed officials. King Abdullah did not deny any potential Saudi role in the alleged conspiracy during an interview with CNN in July, but he stated that the authorities treated it as an internal matter.
