The Muscat Court of Appeal sentenced Talal Al-Salmani to a term of three months’ imprisonment.

On 14 May 2025, the Court of Appeal in Muscat Governorate issued a judgment upholding the conviction issued by the Primary Court on 10 April 2025.
The Court amended the penalties imposed in the two misdemeanour charges. The defendant was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment and a fine of OMR 500 (approximately USD 1,300) for the offence of participating in an unlawful assembly, and to three months’ imprisonment for the offence of incitement and dissemination of news and rumours likely to undermine the prestige of the state. The Court ordered the consolidation of the two sentences, with the more severe penalty to be enforced.

Al-Salmani had been arrested on 8 April 2025 following his participation in a peaceful demonstration in solidarity with the people of Gaza, during which he voiced criticism of the Omani government’s stance on the Israeli aggression and condemned the security forces’ handling of protestors. Merely two days after his arrest, he was brought before the court and sentenced during the first hearing — a move that, according to confidential sources of the OCHRD, reflects the authorities’ apprehension over growing public calls for mass protests amid the country’s deteriorating economic conditions. Al-Salmani appealed the sentence and was released on 17 April 2025 after posting bail in the amount of 800 OMR (approximately USD 2,075).

According to information received by the OCHRD from confidential sources, Al-Salmani’s arrest resulted in an unofficial ban on any peaceful gatherings in support of Gaza or the Palestinian cause more broadly, at least for the time being.

It is noteworthy that this is not the first time Al-Salmani has been subjected to arrest. In September 2023, he was summoned by security authorities following the publication of a video on the social media platform X, in which he criticised government policies. He was detained for nearly four weeks before being released without formal charges.

The OCHRD strongly condemns this judgment and reaffirms that the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, as well as the right to peaceful assembly, are protected under international law. The OCHRD urges the Omani authorities to refrain from weaponising the judiciary to silence dissenting voices and instead calls on them to uphold and protect these fundamental rights, in accordance with their international obligations.