At
least thirteen human rights defenders were arbitrarily arrested on 8
and 11 June 2012 as they were calling for the release of all detained
human rights defenders in Oman. It
is feared that they may be charged with "agitation", which is regarded
as a state security offence and is punishable by up to fifteen years in
prison. The wave of arrests began on 31 May when three human rights
defenders were arrested as they were paying a solidarity visit to oil
workers staging a strike at Al Fuhoud Oil Field.
On
11 June 2012, during a peaceful protest calling for the release of all
detained human rights defenders in Oman, the following defenders were
arrested and are currently detained at Samail Central Prison, approximately 70km east of Muscat: lawyer Ms Basma Al Khayoumi, who had been detained and interrogated a number of times in the past; writer Mr Sa'id Al Hashimi and radio presenter and broadcaster Ms Basma Al Rajhi, both of whom were kidnapped and tortured in 2011; writer Mr Samaa Issa (released on 13 June); Mr Mukhtar Al Hana'i, who was arrested along with his father and 14-year-old brother; journalist Mr Nassir Saleh; blogger Mr Abdalla Al
Badi; blogger Mr Fahd Al Kharousi; and blogger Ms Fatma Al Bousaidi. Basma
Al Khayoumi, Sa'id Al Hashimi, and Basima Al Rajhi are reported to have
started a hunger strike in protest against their arbitrary arrest and
that of their fellow human rights defenders.
Among those arrested on 8 June 2012 were writers Mr Hamoud Al Rashidi and Mr Nabhan Al Hinshi, blogger Mr Hasan Al Ruqayshi and writer and poet Mr Hamad Al Kharousi. On
the day of their arrest, they signed a petition addressed to the
authorities calling for the release of the detained human rights
defenders. They
are reportedly being detained at the Special Branch of the Omani Police
in Muscat.
The three human rights defenders arrested on 31 May as they were visiting oil workers on strike at Al Fuhoud Oil Field are journalist and social rights activist Ms Habiba Al Hana'i, lawyer Mr Yaqoub Al Kharousi, and prominent blogger Mr Ismail Al Muqbali. They are all founding members of the Omani Group for Human Rights. Following their arrest, they were transferred to the Special Branch of the Omani Police in Muscat and charged with "agitation". The first two defenders were released on bail on 4 June but Ismail Al Muqbali remains in detention.
Following
the arrests of 31 May, the Prosecutor General issued a statement
threatening to take legal action against those involved in “harmful
writings and agitating calls under the pretext of freedom of
expression”, which he stated were detrimental to the national interest
and contrary to public order. He added that such acts were punishable by
law. In his statement, he was reportedly referring to the work of human
rights defenders and bloggers, in particular their calls for freedom of
expression and assembly, and their criticism of government policies
through peaceful protests.
Omani
human rights defenders have also been facing acts of intimidation and
harassment in the recent past: smear campaigns; hacking of personal
computers, email and blog accounts, and social networking websites;
accusations of crimes including "strife and disorder" and “attacking the
sovereign symbol of the country”. The Omani public has reportedly been
asked to inform the authorities on the activities of human rights
groups, and to provide evidence for their prosecution.
Front
Line Defenders expresses grave concern on the detention of the above
mentioned human rights defenders and on the continued attack by the
authorities on the rights to freedom of expression and assembly. It
believes that the current wave of arbitrary arrests and detention of
human rights defenders in Oman is solely motivated by their peaceful and
legitimate human rights work, in particular their call for the respect
of the rights to freedom expression and assembly in accordance with
international standards to which Oman is a state party.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Oman to:
-
Immediately and unconditionally release all detained human rights defenders mentioned above, as it is believed that their arrests and detention are solely related to their peaceful and legitimate human rights work;
-
Immediately and unconditionally drop all charges against human rights defenders Habiba Al Hana'i, Yaqoub Al Kharousi and Ismail Al Muqbali;
-
Immediately allow detained human rights defenders unfettered access to their family and lawyers, and take all necessary measures to guarantee their physical and psychological integrity while in detention;
-
Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Oman are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassme
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