Two Jordanians Sentenced to 15 Years Over Alleged Royal Plot

Two Jordanians Sentenced to 15 Years Over Alleged Royal Plot
Bassem Awadallah, one of two former officials accused of helping Jordanian Prince Hamzah try to overthrow his half-brother King Abdullah II, appears on a mobile phone screen as he attends a verdict hearing at a state security court, in Amman, Jordan, on July 12, 2021. Raad Adayleh/AP Photo
The Associated Press
Updated:

AMMAN, Jordan—A Jordanian state security court on Monday sentenced two former officials to serve 15 years in prison over an alleged plot against the Western-allied monarchy involving the half-brother of King Abdullah II.

Bassem Awadallah, who has U.S. citizenship and once served as a top aide to King Abdullah II, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family, were found guilty of sedition and incitement charges. They are alleged to have conspired with Prince Hamzah, the king’s half-brother, and to have sought foreign assistance.