A small group of Jordanians protested in front of the Egyptian embassy in Jordan demanding the release of Bashar Abo Zaid, a Jordanian citizen charged with espionage against Egypt.

Abo Zaid has been detained in Egyptian prisons for almost 27 months; he is accused of wire tapping the telephones of Egyptian officials and reporting conversations to an Israeli Mossad officer.

“A small group of Abo Zaid’s family gathered in front of the embassy holding banners that read ‘Freedom for Bashar Abo Zaid’,” said Ashraf Kilany, media consultant of the Egyptian embassy in Jordan.

He added that the embassy had nothing to do with Abo Zaid’s case. “It’s a legal matter at the hands of the Egyptian judiciary; no diplomatic steps can be taken by the embassy.”

Abo Zaid has been on trial since December 2011 along with the Mossad officer who is being tried in absentia.

His family has repeatedly called on King Abdullah of Jordan to intervene, accusing the Jordanian embassy in Cairo of negligence, reported CNN Arabic.

Abo Zaid threatened to go on hunger strike demanding his release or speeding up his trial. His family claims he was tortured in prison which has been denied by Egyptian officials.

His uncle told CNN that they have spent a lot of money on the case when there was no concrete evidence for his conviction.

The family said they have contacted the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Royal Court, but have not received a response.