LONDON: Jordan announced on Thursday that it had released 16 defendants involved in a “sedition” case. “Based on King Abdullah II’s concern for the interest of the homeland and the citizen, and that he said we are in the month of mercy and forgiveness (Ramadan), a number of detainees were released within the legal frameworks and standards,” said the public prosecutor of the State Security Court. Several people have been arrested since the beginning of April following events that threatened to undermine the kingdom’s security and stability. Brig. Gen. Hazem Al-Majali said Bassem Awadallah, a former finance minister and adviser to the Hashemite Royal Court, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family, have not been released “due to their different and varied roles, the facts attributed to them and the degree of incitement, which differ from the rest of the defendants who were released.”