Transnational state-led persecution of an Omani opposition intellectual

The Omani Centre for Human Rights & Democracy (OCHRD) strongly condemns the serious precedent set by the Omani authorities, namely the targeting of an Omani activist residing abroad through the abduction of members of his family from the United Kingdom and their forcible return to Oman. The Centre considers this incident a grave escalation in the Omani state’s repressive practices and a significant expansion in its transnational targeting of activists.

On 18 July 2025, the Omani authorities abducted the family of Fahad Al Thani from the city of Glasgow under circumstances that the OCHRD views as suspicious and indicative of coordinated involvement by multiple official entities. According to Fahad’s statement to the OCHRD, his family—comprising his wife and two children—did not possess travel documents at the time, as Fahad had previously surrendered all personal identification documents belonging to himself and his family to the British authorities upon applying for asylum, which was formally granted in 2024.

Although Fahad was eligible to apply for what are known as “Travel Documents” for himself and his family—official and recognised forms of identification—he had not done so at the time of the incident. This raises serious questions as to which entity may have provided alternative travel documents for his family and facilitated their passage through the airport. The Centre further notes that, even if such alternative documents were issued, travel to Oman or any Gulf state requires a valid visa and prior security clearance from the receiving state.

Fahad Al Thani is an Omani researcher and writer specialising in the modern political history of Oman. He hails from the Al Jabal Al Akhdar (Green Mountain) region of Oman and has been residing in Scotland for approximately three years, having been forced to flee Oman with his wife and two children due to systematic targeting by the ruling sultanic regime.

The targeting of Fahad by the Omani authorities began nearly two decades ago, owing to his research and publications concerning the British colonial presence in Oman and the relationship between the sultanic regime and the United Kingdom— a relationship which Fahad maintains remains one of ongoing subservience. He was first arrested in 2009, and again in 2013, at which point he was subjected to direct harassment by the Internal Security Service. This included professional reprisals and restrictions in his employment, as he had been working as a drilling engineer in Oman’s oil and gas sector for approximately twelve years.

Although Fahad ceased publishing his writings following his second arrest, he remained under persistent surveillance and targeting by the security apparatus.

Under the rule of the current Sultan, Haitham bin Tariq, the security crackdown has intensified. This has been evidenced by the enactment of the Internal Security Service Law and other repressive legislation which has granted security bodies sweeping powers to monitor citizens and activists without any clear legal safeguards. As a result, the country has witnessed a wave of summonses and detentions—many of which have gone unreported due to victims’ fear of retaliation should the incidents be made public.

Fahad provided the following statement to OCHRD:
“Under Qaboos, living as a free person in Oman was extremely difficult. Under Haitham, it has become impossible.”
Commenting on the abduction of his family, he added:
“I fled Oman with my family due to the oppression of the sultanic regime and its systematic targeting of me and my children. We came to the United Kingdom seeking safety—away from persecution, harassment, and authoritarianism—only to be pursued by the same criminal regime, which abducted my children in a cowardly and unlawful manner, in violation of all legal norms and international laws. The regime seeks revenge against me for exposing and revealing its true nature, and in doing so, it has chosen to target my innocent children as a means to reach me.”

Following his departure from Oman, Fahad resumed the publication of his research and political commentary—an act which the Omani authorities have characterised as hostile activity. In response, they have exerted pressure on his relatives in Oman in an attempt to silence him. His wife, in particular, has faced sustained and intense psychological and social pressure over the past three years, primarily through family members and close associates, urging her to separate from Fahad and return to Oman alone. These efforts appear to be part of a broader strategy to dismantle his family unit and suppress his human rights advocacy and intellectual work.

OCHRD unequivocally condemns the abduction and forcible return of the family of an Omani refugee by the Omani authorities. OCHRD considers this act a form of transnational repression and a deliberate, systematic attempt to target activists abroad.

OCHRD calls upon the authorities in the United Kingdom to initiate a thorough, independent investigation into this incident, to uncover all relevant facts and circumstances, ensure accountability for those responsible, and to take steps to prevent the recurrence of such grave violations.