Jordanian Monarchy’s Takedown of a Prince Is a Master Class in Quashing Dissent
The palace intrigue rocking Jordan took a mysterious turn on Monday when the former crown prince, who claimed he was under house arrest after being accused of plotting a coup against his half-brother the king, vowed to “escalate” the situation—only to have the royal family later release a statement suggesting he had acquiesced.
In the voice recording released Monday, a defiant Prince Hamzah bin Hussein said that he “won’t obey” government orders to remain silent and isolated—the most confrontational display of dissent Jordan has seen from a royal in recent years.
But by evening time in Jordan, the situation had become even murkier. Jordan’s Royal Court released a letter purported to be from Hamzah in which he sounded contrite.