On 14 January 2026, Dr. Omama Al-Lawati was summoned by the Special Division of the Omani Police Command in Muscat, the capital. Upon her arrival, she was arrested. The Special Division is the executive arm of the Internal Security Service.

Her arrest is due to the opinions she expresses on her social media accounts. On 21 January 2026, Al-Lawati appeared before the Public Prosecution on charges related to her peaceful activities on social media. On the very same day she was able to call her family on the phone for the first time. She was released on bail on 29 January 2026.

During a hearing on 12 February 2026, the Muscat Court of First Instance sentenced her to a suspended three months in prison, along with a fine of 1,000 Omani Rials and the confiscation of her phone and SIM card. The court also ordered the deletion of her personal account on the X website.

She was convicted of two charges: undermining the prestige of the state, according to Omani Penal Code No. 7 of 2018, and misusing telecommunications technology, according to the Cybercrime Law No. 12 of 2011. Dr. Al-Lawati denied both charges.

Al-Lawati is a well-known writer and storyteller specialising in children’s literature. She has published approximately 17 books, the first being “Beyond Yesterday” in 2010 and the most recent “Mango Boy” in 2023. She has also published numerous articles, studies, and research papers in various media outlets. She received her PhD in Media and Communication Studies in Tunisia in 2022.