Dr. Ahmed Issa Qatan

Dr. Ahmed Issa Qatan is an Omani environmental rights defender and desalination specialist who has been targeted for his work to preserve the traditional lifestyle and natural heritage of the Dhofar Plain. On 23 February 2021, he was arrested by the Internal Security Service  when he arrived at the Special Branch of Salalah Police Command, where he had been summoned. During his detention, Dr. Qatan was denied access to legal counsel and charged with “using social media in a manner that would harm public order” under Article 19 of the Omani Cybercrime Law. He was remanded in custody until his first trial on 8 March 2021, when he was sentenced to six months imprisonment and fined 1000 Omani riyals. He was released on bail on 16 August 2022 after being arrested again for a tweet calling for urgent reforms in Oman. Dr Qatan’s case highlights the ongoing judicial harassment faced by environmental rights defenders in Oman.