Oman: Further Information: Journalists’ trial postponed to 12 December: Ibrahim al-Maamari, Youssef al-Hajj and Zaher al-Abri
The Appeal Court in Muscat postponed to 12 December its decision on the case of the three Azamn journalists, Ibrahim al-Maamari, Youssef al-Hajj and Zaher al-Abri. They face up to three years in prison. If detained, they would be prisoners of conscience.
Further information on UA: 206/16 Index: MDE 20/5148/2016 Oman Date: 18 November 2016
URGENT ACTION
JOURNALISTS’ TRIAL POSTPONED TO 12 DECEMBER
The Appeal Court in Muscat postponed to 12 December its decision on the case of the
three Azamn journalists, Ibrahim al-Maamari, Youssef al-Hajj and Zaher al-Abri. They face
up to three years in prison. If detained, they would be prisoners of conscience.
The three Omani journalists from the now closed daily newspaper Azamn, Ibrahim al-Maamari, Youssef al-Hajj
and Zaher al-Abri appeared before the Appeal Court in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on 17 November. The court
was expected to issue its verdict but postponed its decision to 12 December due to the upcoming celebrations of
Oman’s Independence and the Sultan’s birthday. The journalists’ trial was based on multiple vaguely worded
charges that did not amount to internationally recognizable criminal offences. The Appeal Court unfairly refused
their request to call specific witnesses, including the vice-president of Oman’s Supreme Court and denied access
to information relevant for their defence. They also argued throughout the trial that prosecutors did not provide
evidence to sustain the charges brought against the journalists.
On 26 September, the Court of First Instance in Muscat sentenced Azamn’s editor-in-chief, Ibrahim al-Maamari and
its deputy editor-in-chief, Youssef al-Haj to three years’ imprisonment and fines, on charges of “undermining the
prestige of the state” and other vaguely-worded charges under Oman’s cybercrimes and press and publications
law. The court set bail at 50,000 Omani rials (US$ 130,000) each, should they decide to appeal against the rulings.
Journalist Zaher al-Abri was sentenced to a one year prison sentence and a fine for misusing the internet. The
same day the court upheld a government order to permanently close the Azamn newspaper. The three journalists’
trial before the Appeal Court began on 10 October. The court ordered the release of Ibrahim al-Maamari and
Youssef al-Haj after reducing their bail to 2,000 Omani rials (US$ 5,200) each. Zaher al-Abri was already released
on 22 August on a 1,000 Omani rials (about US$ 2,600) bail pending appeal.
Please write immediately in Arabic, English or your own language:
Calling on the Omani authorities to ensure the unfair convictions of Ibrahim al-Maamari, Youssef al-Haj and
Zaher al-Abri, are quashed as all three journalists are being punished for the peaceful exercise of their right to
freedom of expression and if detained, they would be considered prisoners of conscience;
Urging them to respect and protect the right to freedom of expression, including by repealing or amending all
legislation that criminalizes the peaceful exercise of this right.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 30 DECEMBER 2016 TO:
Minister of Justice
Sheikh Abdul Malik al-Khalili
Ministry of Justice
PO Box 354
Ruwi PC 112
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
Twitter: @moj_gov
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Interior
His Excellency Hamoud bin Faisal bin
Said Al Busaidi
Ministry of Interior
PO Box 127,
Ruwi 112
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
Salutation: Your Excellency
And copies to:
Chairman, Oman Human Rights
Commission
Dr ‘Isa Bin Sa’id Sulayman al-Kiyumii
Fill in form at:
http://www.ohrc.om/website_complaintsa
dden.php?language=en
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
Fax: +968 24 2189 06
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please insert local diplomatic addresses below:
Name Address 1 Address 2 Address 3 Fax Fax number Email Email address Salutation Salutation
Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date. This is the third update of UA 206/16. Further information:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde20/4976/2016/en/
URGENT ACTION
JOURNALISTS’ TRIAL POSTPONED TO 12 DECEMBER
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
In September 2011, a court of first instance sentenced Ibrahim al-Maamari to two months in prison and ordered the suspension
of the Azamn newspaper for one month after its publication in May 2011 of an interview with an employee of the Ministry of
Justice who accused the Minister of Justice of career rigging. In January 2012, an appeal court upheld the sentence but did not
implement it as the newspaper issued an official apology before the appeal.
On 28 July 2016, Ibrahim al-Maamari was summoned and arrested by Omani State Security following the publication on 26 July
of an article accusing the head of Oman’s Supreme Court and the chairman of the Judicial Council of intervening in the outcome
of verdicts on behalf of influential officials. He was charged with “disturbing public order” and “publishing details of a civil law
case” under Articles 25 and 29 of the 2016 press and publications law, as well as charged with undermining the prestige of the
state and its status, under Article 135 of the Omani Penal Law, and with publishing material that would disturb public order,
under Article 19 of the cybercrimes law.
Zaher al-Abri was arrested on 3 August after he commented on Twitter about the detention of Ibrahim al-Maamari. Youssef al-
Haj was arrested on 9 August following the publication of a series of articles based on exclusive interviews with the vice-
president of Oman’s Supreme Court confirming allegations of corruption made in the original article by Ibrahim al-Maamari. The
same day the Ministry of Information ordered the shutdown of Azamn newspaper and its online news site.
In detention, Youssef al-Haj suffered from shortness of breath and had repeated asthma attacks; he also has a slipped disc in
the back, which has been causing him severe pain. He went on hunger strike for a few days in protest at the lack of medical
care he needed. On account of ill health, Youssef al-Haj was held at the Royal Oman Police Hospital in Muscat between 20 and
25 September, after which he was returned to prison.
Throughout their detention, the three men were held in solitary confinement in windowless cells. They met with their lawyers for
the first time on 15 August when their trial began before the Court of First Instance. On 26 September Ibrahim al-Maamari and
Youssef al-Haj were sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and fines, and set their bail at 50,000 Omani rials (US$ 130,000)
each should they decide to appeal against the rulings. Zaher al-Abri was sentenced to a one year prison sentence and a fine.
The three journalists’ trial before the Appeal Court began on 10 October. The court ordered the release of Ibrahim al-Maamari
and Youssef al-Haj after reducing their bail to 2,000 Omani rials (US$ 5,200) each. After the second appeal hearing on 7
November the court set 17 November to issue its verdict.
In March 2016, during Oman’s review before the United Nations’ Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the government rejected
recommendations to guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, including a
recommendation to support civil society organizations. Oman only partially accepted recommendations to review current
legislation that fails to protect the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association.
Name: Zaher al-Abri, Youssef al-Haj, Ibrahim al-Maamari
Gender m/f: m
Further information on UA: 206/16 Index: MDE 20/5148/2016 Issue Date: 18 November 2016