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Jordan’s King imposes severe restrictions on half-brother Prince Hamzah

Jordan’s King Abdullah issued a decree Thursday (May 19) restricting the movement, place of residence and communications of his half-brother Prince Hamzah. This comes as the rivalry between them took a dramatic turn.
In April last year, Jordanian authorities announced they had foiled a bid to destabilize the pro-Western kingdom and had arrested 18 suspects, though most were later released.
Hamzah was not charged in the trial, but the charge sheet said he was “determined to fulfill his personal ambition to rule, in violation of the Hashemite constitution and customs.”
Hamzah, 42, had been named Crown Prince of Jordan on 1999, a position he held until his older half-brother, King Abdullah, removed him from power in 2004.

Recently, Hamzah announced that he was renouncing his title of prince, saying his “personal convictions” were not in line with the “modern methods of our institutions.”
In a message to the Jordanian people on Thursday (May 19), King Abdullah announced that he has approved a recommendation by a royal family council to restrict Hamzah's communications, residence and movements.
Jordan’s Prince Hamzah relinquishes his princely title
In his message, Abdullah said: “I am writing to you in the hope of turning a dark page in the history of our country and our family. As you know, when the details of the ‘sedition’ case were revealed last year, I chose to deal with my brother Prince Hamzah within the framework of our family, hoping that he would realize his mistake and come to his senses. However, after a year and a half, during which he exhausted all opportunities to return to his senses and adhere to the biography of our family, I came to the disappointing conclusion that he will not change.”
The king said that he was sure that Hamzah lives in an illusion in which he sees himself as the guardian of the Hashemite heritage.
Prince Hamza apologizes to Jordan's King Abdullah over conspiracy to replace monarch
“His repeated speeches reflected his state of denial of the reality in which he lives, and his refusal to bear any responsibility for his actions,” the king charged. “My [half-] brother Hamza is still ignoring all facts and hard evidence, and manipulating facts and events to reinforce his false narrative. Unfortunately, my brother really believes what he claims. The illusion he is living is not new. He ignores the facts, denies the principles, and assumes the role of the victim.”
The king said that over the past years, he has exercised “the utmost degree of tolerance, self-restraint, and patience” with his half-brother.
But, the king continued, Hamzah “chose to depart from his family’s biography many years ago and adopted a negative behavior that was clear to all members of our family.”
Jordan’s king and queen receive 2022 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity in Abu Dhabi
The king accused Hamzah of “rejecting the traditions of our entire family and our Jordanian values.” He also accused him of abusing his position as a prince by secretly recording a meeting he had last year with the Chief of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces.
Abdullah noted: “It has never occurred in the history of our Hashemite family, or in the history of any of the royal families in the world, that one of its members sent video messages to the outside media attacking the institutions of his homeland."
He added that “In light of the prince's destructive behavior, I would not be surprised if, after all this, he came out with abusive messages insulting the country and its institutions. But I and all our people will not waste our time in responding to him.”
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Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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