Bassem Awadallah’s lawyer warns of possible death in Jordan prison

The lawyer of former Chief of Jordan’s Royal Court Bassem Awadallah warned of the possibility of his client’s death in prison due to his hunger strike and abuse.

Lawyer Michael Sullivan confirmed in a statement that Awadallah, who is serving a 15-year prison sentence on charges of plotting against the king, entered his third week of a hunger strike to protest his abuse and mistreatment.

Sullivan warned: “I am certain that my client, who is an American citizen, will die in prison, either because of the hunger strike or the mistreatment he is subjected to by the authorities.”

According to the statement, Awadallah’s family continues to pressure the US government to intervene in an attempt for his release.

The statement added: “As Dr Awadallah’s health continues to deteriorate on a daily basis, his family confirms that they will place full legal, moral and ethical responsibility on King Abdullah II and his government for the harm they caused their son.”

Awadallah’s lawyer shared that contact with his client had been cut off since early March.

He noted that the prison administration rejected his repeated requests to contact the consul general, his sister and his father.

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Sullivan added: “If Awadallah is forced to take food intravenously, he will not have the ability to refuse, and we are now afraid of what they will put in the IV.”

On 14 February, the Jordan Public Security Directorate stated that Awadallah had been eating his meals regularly over the past three days, contrary to what his lawyer reported.

The Public Security Directorate denied the legitimacy of Awadallah’s lawyer’s statement that his client was subjected to “physical, psychological and emotional torture” while in detention.

The statement stressed that he was “not abused in any way” and gave his statement “voluntarily without any coercion.”

The statement added that Awadallah: “Is serving his prison sentence in accordance with Jordanian law, and his visitation rights are fully guaranteed, as he receives visitors periodically, including his relatives and friends. Awadallah also has the ability to communicate with his lawyer in Jordan at all times, and he communicates periodically with his relatives and speaks on the phone with his family and friends weekly.”