A former top Jordanian official imprisoned in an alleged plot against the Western-allied monarchy was rushed to the hospital over the weekend after a three-week hunger strike, the man鈥檚 American lawyer said Monday.
Bassem Awadallah, who is a dual Jordanian-American citizen, was suffering from low blood pressure and sugar levels when he was hospitalized Saturday, his representatives said.
They said he was given glucose intravenously but refused further intervention once his condition stabilized. He has since returned to prison and remains on his hunger strike.
鈥淢y client鈥檚 life remains in danger as his health declines daily,鈥 said Michael J. Sullivan, Awadallah鈥檚 attorney.
He said Awadallah鈥檚 family has urged the U.S. government to 鈥渢ake immediate action鈥 to secure his release and holds Jordan鈥檚 King Abdullah II responsible for the harm to Awadallah.
A Jordanian security official called the claims of a hunger strike 鈥渋naccurate,鈥 saying Awadallah has been drinking liquids regularly.
鈥淗e was hospitalized at the recommendation of the medical team and later discharged after receiving the necessary treatment,鈥 the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity under security guidelines. 鈥淗e is now in good condition.鈥
The official said there was no obligation for Jordanian officials to notify the American Embassy because Awadallah is a Jordanian 鈥渇irst and foremost.鈥 But he said that Awadallah is entitled to U.S. consular visits, including this week.
In a statement, the U.S. State Department said it was monitoring Awadallah's situation closely, and that one of its priorities was to assist U.S. citizens who are incarcerated abroad.
鈥淲e take allegations of mistreatment seriously,鈥 it said. 鈥淲e at every instance raise the importance of humane treatment directly with the host government.鈥 It said the embassy met Awadallah this week, the latest in a string of monthly visits over the past year.
Jordan is a close Western ally that hosts hundreds of thousands of refugees and has long been seen as an island of stability in a volatile region. But the rare palace feud exposed deep-rooted in the country, which borders Israel, the occupied West Bank, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
Awadallah, who once served as a top adviser to the king, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family, were found guilty of sedition and incitement two years ago and sentenced to in prison. They were alleged to have conspired with Prince Hamzah, the king鈥檚 half-brother, and to have sought foreign assistance in a plot against Abdullah.
The convictions took place following a closed trial that lasted just six sessions in a military court. The court denied requests by defense lawyers to call witnesses, and prosecutors shared only purported transcripts, but not original audio recordings, from surveillance of the alleged plotters.
Awadallah鈥檚 representatives have said the trial lacked due process and that Awadallah has endured inhumane conditions. Jordan denies the allegations, saying his treatment has been 鈥渋n accordance with international conventions and legal standards.鈥
Hamzah was placed under house arrest in April 2021 for his alleged role in the plot. At the time, he said he was being punished for speaking out against official corruption.
He apologized to the king a year ago, according to the Royal Court, but the following month, he formally relinquished his princely title to protest the 鈥渃urrent approaches, policies and methods of our institutions.鈥
Last May, the king placed Hamzah arrest, citing his half-brother鈥檚 鈥渆rratic behavior and aspirations.鈥
Abdullah and Hamzah are sons of King Hussein, who ruled Jordan for nearly half a century before his death in 1999. Abdullah appointed Hamzah as crown prince upon his succession but stripped him of the title in 2004.
