The Omani authorities are clearly and consistently targeting prominent human rights lawyer Majid bin Abdullah bin Saeed Al-Ruhaili, who has been subjected to repeated arbitrary arrest and detention, and is facing trial on fabricated charges for peacefully expressing his opinions on social media.

On 20 October 2026, he was summoned by the Special Division, the executive arm of the Internal Security Service (ISS), and ordered to appear at the Al-Khoudh police station in the capital, Muscat. Upon his arrival at the station the following day, he was arbitrarily arrested and detained. His arrest follows a heated exchange which he had with Kuwaiti social media users on his X account in the days leading up to it.

On 25 October 2026, the Court of First Instance (Criminal Division) in Seeb, one of the districts of the Muscat Governorate, held a hearing to pronounce judgment in a previous case filed against him related to content he published on his account on X in 2025 in terms of personal opinions, where the Public Prosecution charged him with two charges: “incitement and deliberately publishing false news and rumours and broadcasting provocative propaganda that would undermine the prestige of the state” according to Article 115/A of the Omani Penal Code, and “using the information network and information technology means to publish what would harm public order” according to Article 19 of the Cybercrime Law. The court decided to postpone the verdict in this case until 20 November 2026. Several hearings were held in this case, the first of which was on 05 April 2026.

This was followed on the same day by another hearing to consider his posts during his exchange with Kuwaiti bloggers. The Public Prosecution charged him with the following: “violating the Cybercrime Law, insulting sister countries, and harming relations between them and the country,” according to Article 26 of the Cybercrime Law, which stipulates a penalty of up to three years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to 5,000 Omani Riyals. The court decided to hold the second hearing in this case on 08 November 2026.

He has been arrested several times previously for his peaceful activism on social media. For more information, see here.

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) condemns in the strongest terms the arbitrary arrest, detention, and unfair trial of prominent human rights lawyer Majid Al-Ruhaili. GCHR considers this ongoing targeting to be part of a systematic pattern of repression persistently pursued for years by the ISS and its executive arm, the Special Division, to suppress public freedoms, including freedom of expression online and offline.

Recommendations

GCHR urges the authorities in Oman to:

1. Immediately release human rights lawyer Majid bin Abdullah bin Saeed Al-Ruhaili, drop all charges against him, and stop targeting him;
2. Protect the public freedoms of citizens, particularly freedom of expression online and offline, and cease the harassment of human rights defenders in Oman; and
3. Guarantee, under all circumstances, the ability of human rights defenders in Oman to carry out their legitimate human rights work without fear of reprisal and without undue restrictions, including judicial harassment.