The Annual Report of the Human Rights in Oman – 2013

The Annual Report of the Human Rights in Oman – 2013

The first annual report on human rights violations in Oman for the year 2013 presents a concise overview of comprehensive topics by the Omani Observatory for Human Rights. The report highlights significant human rights violations and related events witnessed in Oman in 2013. A subsequent report will be provided later in commemoration of the observatory’s anniversary, scheduled for the month of February.

Key events in the Sultanate include:

1. The release of a report by the international human rights monitoring organization, Human Rights Watch, for the year 2012. The report specifically condemned the arrest movements witnessed in Oman in 2012 against detainees of opinion in cases related to “assembly and defamation.”
2. The issuance of a report by Reporters Without Borders indicating a decline in press freedom in Oman, with its international ranking dropping by 24 places (to 141st). This decline was attributed to opinion-related cases (defamation and assembly in 2012), including the publication of images of the accused and their defamation across various visual, auditory, and print media.
3. Confirming sentences of imprisonment against a group of detainees in the defamation case, which had been previously approved by the primary court in 2012, ranging from one to one and a half years.
4. On February 9th, 22 prisoners from opinion-related cases (defamation and assembly) initiated a hunger strike in protest against the Supreme Court’s delay in addressing their cases.
5. On February 13th, the Omani Observatory for Human Rights was established as a page on Facebook and a Twitter account, without any support or sponsorship from any international or Arab human rights organizations.
6. On February 13th, a partial strike occurred at Muscat Airport to demand a change in airport management.
7. On February 16th, several Omani courts went on strike to demand the implementation of Sultan’s Decree No. 10/2012 regarding court operations and the complete independence of the Omani judiciary, along with other administrative decisions related to improving salaries and court procedures.
8. On February 17th, the National Human Rights Committee (governmental) issued a statement condemning the strike by detainees of opinion (defamation and assembly) and calling for its cessation, while also defending the Omani judiciary.
9. On February 24th, detainees of opinion who were on a hunger strike suspended their strike after the Supreme Court responded to their request to schedule a hearing for their demands.
10. The trial of several activists in the defamation case was postponed 14 times until Sultan Qaboos issued a pardon in the case. The accused individuals include: Khalafan Al-Badawi, Khalid Al-Noufli, Hatem Al-Maliki, Sultan Al-Saadi, and Mohamed Al-Fazari.
11. On February 23rd, activist Ammar Al-Maamari returned to Oman from Jordan, where he was arrested by the security authorities at the airport and charged with defamation related to the same Sultan.
12. On March 4th, the Supreme Court overturned the ruling issued by the appeals court against detainees in the assembly case and upheld the ruling against detainees in the defamation case.
13. The banning of Mohamed Al-Fazari’s novel “A Speech in Absences of the Grave” from entering Oman and being exhibited at the International Book Fair in Muscat.
14. On March 16th, a security ambush led to the arrest of activist Khalafan Al-Badawi, and Hatem Al-Maliki was also summoned and arrested, despite both being on trial at the time for defamation.
15. On March 22nd, a general amnesty was granted to all detainees and defendants in opinion-related cases (defamation and assembly), except for military and security detainees.
16. On March 30th, detainees from the events of the Sahar protests in 2011 went on a hunger strike until their immediate release.
17. The trial of writer Muslim Al-Maashani for writing a book documenting the protest movement in Oman and his subsequent sentencing to six months in prison and a fine on May 30th.
18. On May 1st, employees of several Omani courts went on a one-day strike, demanding salary improvements and job conditions.
19. On May 31st, 194 administrative employees at Muscat Airport went on strike to demand economic and job-related improvements, which lasted until June 3rd, and Oman Air suspended operations on June 26-27 for 13 striking employees.
20. On June 26th, a strike occurred at the largest methanol company in Oman, Oman Methanol, to demand various economic and administrative reforms.
21. On July 22nd, a sultanate amnesty was granted to detainees of the Sahar protests in 2011.
22. Former diplomat Hassan Al-Basham was arrested on July 23rd for participating in a celebratory march to receive detainees of the Sahar protests in 2011 after their amnesty.
23. On July 29th, human rights activist Sultan Al-Saadi was arrested after a kidnapping operation carried out by Special Task Force personnel at a gas station in Sohar, and he was released after three weeks without trial or formal charges.
24. On August 22nd, several Omani citizens in the Liwa state (northern Al-Batinah Governorate) were arrested during a protest against toxic emissions from the Sohar oil facility.
25. August 24-25: The Omani security authorities, represented by the Internal Security Service (intelligence), raided the residences of Shura Council member Talib Al-Maamari and Municipal Council member Saqr Al-Balushi and arrested them following their participation in the protest on August 22. They were charged with undermining the state’s status, incitement, and gathering later with previously detained individuals. The appellate court upheld the verdict against Talib Al-Maamari, sentencing him to four years in prison, and upheld the verdict against Saqr Al-Balushi, sentencing him to one year, along with affirming and nullifying judgments against others.
26. September 13: Social media activist Nuh Al-Saadi was abducted from the streets of his hometown in Shinas province (northern Al Batinah governorate), detained, and disappeared for a month, then released without any charges.
27. October 1: A number of teachers carried out a strike in 743 schools out of 1047 nationwide, demanding various job, economic, and administrative reforms.
28. October 28: The Ministry of Education deducted salaries from several striking teachers, and later security authorities charged some school principals, their deputies, and some teachers with offenses.
29. November 8: Activist Khalfan Al-Badawi was arrested after being abducted from a public street in Muscat governorate and released two days later without any charges.
30. December 17: Activist Khalfan Al-Badawi permanently left Oman due to increased harassment and threats against him.
31. December 27: 545 workers were dismissed from Ardisiz, an oil company, after they went on a hunger strike demanding equal quality of food provided to them as to the highest-ranking employees.
32. Note: The names of citizens who were summoned for questioning, investigated, and detained ranged from hours to a month: Hatim Al-Maliki, Khalfan Al-Badawi, Saleh Al-Azri, Ziyab Al-Amri, Nuh Al-Saadi, Sultan Al-Saadi, Saeed Al-Hashimi, Mohammed Al-Fazari, Muslim Al-Maashani, Habiba Al-Hinai. (The names of female individuals who refused to be mentioned are omitted).
33. It is emphasized that the reasons for summons and arrests varied, but the same illegal methods were followed.