Oman: Further information: Activist released, facing multiple charges: Saeed Jaddad
Omani human rights activist, Saeed Jaddad, was released on bail on 22 December, after being charged with violating the Cyber law. His trial on charges of “undermining the status and prestige of the state” will begin in a court in Muscat on 25 January.
Further information on UA: 318/14 Index: MDE 20/001/2015 Oman Date: 20 January 2015
URGENT ACTION
ACTIVIST RELEASED, FACING MULTIPLE CHARGES
Omani human rights activist, Saeed Jaddad, was released on bail on 22 December, after
being charged with violating the Cyber law. His trial on charges of “undermining the
status and prestige of the state” will begin in a court in Muscat on 25 January.
Following his arrest on 10 December, Saeed Jaddad was taken before the Intelligence section of the police
headquarters in Salalah, in the southern province of Dhofar, where he was interrogated for long hours about his
human rights activities, his contacts with human rights organizations, and his internet activities including his
criticism of official bodies. He was kept and interrogated in the same room for at least five days without being
allowed to contact his family or a lawyer. On or around the fifth day of his detention his interrogators tried to force
him to sign documents accusing him amongst other things of “harming the country and violating its laws” and
“contacting foreign bodies”. He refused to do so. That night he was taken to the Prosecutor’s office where he was
charged with “violating the Cyber law” and was informed that other cases against him had been filed in Muscat, the
capital of Oman. Saeed Jaddad refused to answer the Prosecutor’s questions without a lawyer present. His
detention was then extended a further seven days. He was transferred to Taqah prison (about 40km east of
Salalah) where he shared a cell infested with cockroaches and other insects with at least 22 common law
detainees, and slept on the floor. About four days later he was taken again to the Prosecutor’s office where he
again refused to answer questions without his lawyer.
On 21 December, realising that he had no other option, Saeed Jaddad decided to answer the Prosecutor’s
questions. His detention was renewed for another seven days. However in the morning of 22 December he was
released on a US$1200 bail and his son’s passport was confiscated as a guarantee.
On 18 January, Saeed Jaddad received a summons from the Public Prosecution to appear at the Criminal Court in
Muscat to face trial on charges of “undermining the status and prestige of the state” after he called for political and
social reform, and held meetings with members of the European Parliament in August 2013. However, he has
publicly declared that he refuses to go to court. He remains under investigation in other cases and he could be
facing other trials at any time.
Please write immediately in Arabic, English or your own language:
Urging the authorities to drop all charges against Saeed Jaddad, as they would make him a prisoner of
conscience, if held solely for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression;
Urging them to repeal all legislation that criminalizes the right to freedom of expression and respect and protect
this right.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 3 MARCH 2015 TO:
Head of State and Prime Minister
His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Sa’id
Diwan of the Royal Court
The Palace, Muscat 113
Sultanate of Oman
Fax: +968 24 735 375
Salutation: Your Majesty
Minister of the Interior
His Excellency Hamoud bin Faisal bin
Said Al Busaidi
Minister of the Interior
Ministry of Interior
PO Box 127, Ruwi 112, Muscat
Sultanate of Oman
Salutation: Your Excellency
And copies to:
Chairman, National Human Rights
Commission
Mr Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Riyami
P.O. Box 29, Postal Code: 103
Bareq A' Shati
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
Fax: +968 24 648 801
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 first update of UA 318/14. Further information:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE20/004/2014/en
URGENT ACTION
ACTIVIST RELEASED, FACING MULTIPLE CHARGES
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Saeed Jaddad, a 48-year-old businessman, has called for political and social reform in Oman via his blog, which is restricted to
invited readers only, and Facebook. He was arrested after the security forces raided his home in Salalah, in the southern
province of Dhofar, on 10 December at 9pm. They searched his home and confiscated his phone and computers. They did not
tell his family why they were arresting him or where they were taking him. His family repeatedly sought information about his
whereabouts but the authorities told them nothing.
Saeed Jaddad had been prevented from leaving Oman on 31 October. He was travelling to Istanbul when immigration officers
at Salalah International Airport told him that he had been the subject of a travel ban since July 2014, and confiscated his
passport.
Saeed Jaddad has faced repeated arrest. In December 2011, he took part in peaceful pro-reform demonstrations in Dhofar. He
was arrested on 14 January 2013 and held for six months, including eight days in solitary confinement. He was released at the
end of June 2013 but was banned from publishing articles in the national media and the authorities tried to pressure him into
signing a statement renouncing pro-reform and human rights activities. He faced further harassment and intimidation the next
month.
In August 2013 he faced charges of “undermining the status and prestige of the state” after he called for political and social
reform, and held meetings with members of the European Parliament. He was never tried, but it is believed the authorities could
use longstanding accusations against him in order to charge him in connection with his peaceful actions.
Amnesty International documented instances of prolonged arbitrary and incommunicado detention in Oman in 2013 and 2014.
Cases of torture and other ill-treatment by state security officials during detention were also reported, with activists and critics of
the government being subjected to abuses including beating, hooding, mock execution, sleep deprivation and prolonged solitary
confinement.
Amnesty International has recorded, in recent years, unnecessary and excessive use of force by the police against peaceful
demonstrators, arrests during large demonstrations, arbitrary restrictions on freedom of expression, and discriminatory laws and
practices.
In January 2014, Oman ratified the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Security Agreement. While it remains to be seen, its
provisions are expected to undermine freedom of expression in the GCC countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia
and United Arab Emirates). In August the government decreed a new citizenship law, to take effect in February 2015. It will
empower the authorities to strip Omani nationals of their citizenship and associated rights if they are found to belong to a group
deemed to uphold principles or beliefs that undermine Oman’s “best interests”, allowing the government to arbitrarily withdraw
the nationality of its critics and expel them.
Name: Saeed Jaddad
Gender m/f: m
Further information on UA: 318/14 Index: MDE 20/001/2015 Issue Date: 20 January 2015