U.N. rights office voices concern on arrests in Jordan

The United Nations human rights office said on Friday it was unclear whether Jordan's Prince Hamza remains under de facto house arrest and voiced concern at what it called a lack of transparency surrounding at least 16 detentions.

Jordan's King Abdullah said on Wednesday sedition had been quashed after a rift with his half-brother and former heir Hamza, whom the government had accused of links to efforts destabilize the country.

"We'd like to state that aside from broad accusations it appears that no charges have been yet brought and we are concerned at the lack of transparency around these arrests and detention," U.N. human rights spokeswoman Marta Hurtado told a Geneva news briefing where she was asked about the case.