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Jordan’s State Security Rejects Request to Summon ‘Sedition’ Witnesses

Security forces guard the State Security Court during a session (AP)
Security forces guard the State Security Court during a session (AP)
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Jordan’s State Security Rejects Request to Summon ‘Sedition’ Witnesses

Security forces guard the State Security Court during a session (AP)
Security forces guard the State Security Court during a session (AP)

Jordan's State Security Court has rejected the defense attorneys’ request to summon 25 witnesses in the sedition case, in which former Royal Court chief Bassem Awadallah and Sherif Hassan Zaid are taken to trial.

The list of defense witnesses in the case, linked to former Crown Prince Hamzah, included the prince himself, Princes Hachem and Ali, Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh, and Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi, along with twenty others. It also includes a British communications expert, who was part of major cases, including the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

The court adjourned on Thursday and state-owned news agency, Petra, published a brief of the session which was closed to media.

The Public Prosecution demanded in its concluding argument the highest punishment for the accused, while the defense attorneys asked the court for time to prepare a closing argument.

Defense lawyer Mohammad Afif said the military court's decision not to take testimony from a list of potential defense witnesses - also including the prime minister and other princes - suggested the verdict could be swift.

Speaking to reporters after the court session, Afif explained that the decision was justified that summoning some witnesses may affect the course of justice.

Afif revealed that during the upcoming session on Tuesday, pleadings will be presented, and the verdict will be pronounced, expecting it to be before the judicial recess.

He stressed that the case will be referred to the Court of Cassation if the verdict is not in favor of the defendants.

The court sessions of the 'sedition' case started on June 21, 70 days after the arrest of the accused, Awadallah and Zaid.

They are facing charges of undermining the security and stability of the country and undermining the political establishment.

Prior to the trial, local media published audio leaks of the defendants with Prince Hamzah, including messages exchanged with Awadallah.

The audio messages led to unveiling a plan targeting the security of Jordan by backing protests against the poor economic and social conditions aiming to create chaos.

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French Prosecutors Seek New Arrest Warrant against Bashar Assad

A bullet-riddled portrait of Syria's Bashar al-Assad adorns Hama's municipality following the city's capture by opposition forces on December 6, 2024. (AFP)
A bullet-riddled portrait of Syria's Bashar al-Assad adorns Hama's municipality following the city's capture by opposition forces on December 6, 2024. (AFP)
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French Prosecutors Seek New Arrest Warrant against Bashar Assad

A bullet-riddled portrait of Syria's Bashar al-Assad adorns Hama's municipality following the city's capture by opposition forces on December 6, 2024. (AFP)
A bullet-riddled portrait of Syria's Bashar al-Assad adorns Hama's municipality following the city's capture by opposition forces on December 6, 2024. (AFP)

French prosecutors said Monday they have requested a new arrest warrant against Syria's ousted President Bashar al-Assad over a deadly 2013 chemical attacks after a previous one was cancelled, AFP reported.

It is now up to investigating magistrates to decide whether to issue the new warrant.

French investigators have since 2021 been looking into a suspected Syrian government sarin gas attack that killed more than 1,000 people, according to US intelligence, on August 4 and 5, 2013, in the areas of Adra and Douma outside Damascus.

The Court of Cassation, France’s highest court, on Friday ruled there were no exceptions to presidential immunity, even for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, annulling a French warrant against Assad issued in 2023 when he was still leader.

It however added that, as Assad, who was toppled in December, was no longer president, new warrants could be issued and the French investigation could continue.

In November 2023, the French judiciary issued an arrest warrant against Assad on charges of complicity in crimes against humanity and war crimes, in connection with the chemical attacks attributed to the Syrian government under his rule.

The French judiciary tackled the case under the principle of universal jurisdiction, whereby a court may prosecute individuals for serious crimes committed in other countries.

An investigation – based on testimonies of survivors and military defectors, as well as photos and video footage – led to warrants for the arrest of Assad, his brother Maher – then head of the Syrian army's fourth division – and two generals, Ghassan Abbas and Bassam al-Hassan.

Public prosecutors approved three of the warrants, but issued an appeal against the one targeting Assad, arguing he should have immunity as a head of state.

The Paris Court of Appeal in June last year however upheld it, and prosecutors again appealed.

Assad and his family fled to Russia, according to Russian authorities, after opposition fighters seized power on December 8.

Another French warrant is already out for Assad's arrest, issued in January for suspected complicity in war crimes for a bombing in the Syrian city of Daraa in 2017 that killed a French-Syrian civilian.