Ex-Jordanian Finance Minister sentenced to 15 yrs in jail

Amman, July 13 Bassem Awadallah, Jordan's former Finance Minister and royal court chief, as well as royal family member Sharif Hassan Ben Zeid have been sentenced to 15 years in prison for inciting acts against the crown, the state-run Petra news agency reported.

The sentencing on Monday came after Awadallah and Ben Zeid were accused of inciting against King Abdullah II and seeking to create chaos in the country, reports Xinhua news agency.

The State Security Court added that Awadallah assumed key positions in the country, which gave him the chance to build a network involving both domestic and external factors.

The court announced prosecution against Awadallah and Zeid in June, charging them with harming safety and security of Jordan and destabilizing the country, Petra reported.

Zeid was also charged with possession of narcotics, according to the state-run Petra news agency.

In April, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Prince Hamza, Awadallah, and Zeid had contacts with external powers to take some actions against the country.