AMMAN // Jordan released a top leader of the Muslim Brotherhood opposition group on Monday after he served over two-thirds of his 18-month prison term for criticising the UAE.
Zaki Bani Ersheid’s release comes at a time of growing divisions in the Jordanian branch of the Brotherhood, weakening its long-time role as the main political opposition.
In 2015, the Jordanian branch split, with a breakaway faction emphasising its Jordanian identity and seeking government recognition. Bani Ersheid is the deputy leader of the original Brotherhood, which has retained ties to the regional parent movement.
Bani Ersheid was released early on Monday, 13 months after his November 2014 arrest. He had been sentenced to 18 months after he criticised the UAE for labelling the Brotherhood a terrorist group.
Jordan’s government spokesman, Mohammed Momani, said Bani Ersheid “served his time after being sentenced by the court”.
Mr Momani and Murad Adayleh, a Brotherhood spokesman, said Bani Ersheid did not win early release and that under the Jordanian system, a year-long term means less than 12 months in prison.
* Associated Press