Four held on charges of undermining Jordan’s relations with Kuwait

AMMAN — The State Security Court’s (SSC) Prosecutor General Maj. Judge Amer Daradkeh has ordered the arrest of four people who will be detained for 15 days at the Marka Reform and Rehabilitation Centre on charges of undermining Jordan’s relations with Kuwait, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The arrests were made following the Jordanian and Kuwaiti national teams’ football match in Amman on Thursday, during which some attendees among the Jordanian fans chanted slogans against Kuwait.

His Majesty King Abdullah, in a phone call on Friday with Kuwait Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, reaffirmed the strong, deep-rooted fraternal ties between the two countries and peoples, as well as keenness to bolster them further.

King Abdullah stressed that Kuwaitis are among family in Jordan, and that any harm to them is harm to Jordanians, and does not reflect nor represent the deep-rooted, brotherly ties between the two countries or Jordan’s appreciation and admiration of Kuwait, according to a Royal Court statement.

His Majesty wished Sheikh Sabah good health and well-being, and the people of Kuwait continued prosperity and progress, the statement said.

In a tweet on Friday, Prime Minister Omar Razzaz said that Jordanian-Kuwaiti ties are too strong to be tampered with by “some who do not represent Jordanians”. 

Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al Khaled Al Hamad Al Sabah on Saturday stressed the deep-rooted Jordan-Kuwait relations.

Safadi stressed that “any offence to Kuwait is an offence to Jordan” and briefed Sheikh Sabah on the legal actions that have been taken against those who uttered the chants during Thursday’s game. 

During the meeting, Sheikh Sabah expressed appreciation for the measures taken by Jordan and its “clear stances, which reflect the strength of bilateral ties”.