PROFILE: Jordan’s most visible prince under house arrest

AMMAN, Jordan (AA) – Jordan's former Crown Prince Hamzah bin Al-Hussein drew world media attention on Saturday after his name was linked to a spate of arrests in the kingdom for “security reasons”.

Prince Hamzah, 41, is the half-brother of King Abdullah II of Jordan, and the eldest son of late King Hussein bin Talal from his last wife.

Prince Hamzah bin Al-Hussein was declared a crown prince on Feb. 7, 1999, but he was replaced on Nov. 28, 2004 by King Abdullah II's eldest son, Hussein bin Abdullah, who was appointed to the post by his father.

Prince Hamzah bin Al-Hussein is married to Princess Nour Asim and Princess Basma Al-Atoum, and has five daughters and one son with them.

The prince is popular in the kingdom and has over the past years appeared in popular gatherings and on social media platforms to criticize the government’s handling of pressing issues in the kingdom, most importantly the fight against corruption.

Prince Hamzah has not shied away from expressing his dissatisfaction with the procedures of successive governments. At one time, he called on the government to “stay away from the citizen’s pocket” following the passage of a controversial tax law.

House arrest
Following reports of Prince Hamzah’s detention, Jordan issued an official statement denying the news, saying that the prince was asked to “stop movements and activities that target Jordan's security and stability”.

However, shortly after, the prince recorded a video in English saying that he was placed under house arrest.

In the video which was broadcasted by the BBC, the former crown prince said he was invited by the Chief of the General Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces, Yusef Hneiti, on Saturday who ordered him not “to communicate with people or meet with them”, citing his “criticism of the government or the king” in previous engagements with the public.

"I am not the person responsible for the breakdown in governance, for the corruption and for the incompetence that has been prevalent in our governing structure for the last 15 to 20 years, and it has been getting worse by the year. I am not responsible for the lack of faith that people have in their institutions," Prince Hamza said in the video.

The prince said he has been placed under house arrest together with his family in the Peace Palace outside Amman, while his security has been withdrawn and communication lines cut off, adding that the video he has posted may be his last.

He expressed regret over how his country slipped down from being “at the forefront of the region in terms of education and healthcare, human dignity and freedoms” to one “where simple criticism against a policy attracts arrest, abuse, and harassment by the security services”.

From time to time, Prince Hamzah conducted visits to several provinces in Jordan to meet senior figures and clan elders, criticizing the situation in the kingdom and calling for reforms.

*Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar in Ankara