The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) has received credible reports confirming that the Internal Security Service (ISS) in Oman arrested human rights defender Talib Al-Saedi and has been holding him incommunicado ever since.

On 30 November 2025, Al-Saedi received a phone call from the Special Division in Sohar, which is the ISS’s executive arm. He was summoned to the state police station immediately without any explanation, and was arbitrarily arrested upon arrival.

Informed local sources confirmed that security authorities have prevented him from contacting his family or lawyer and that he has been completely isolated from the outside world. These same sources added that his arrest is related to his participation in a hashtag campaign concerning the tragedy in Al-Amarat district, which resulted in the deaths of six members of the same family due to carbon monoxide poisoning, and sparked widespread criticism of the government’s response.

Al-Saedi is a well-known human rights activist in Oman, known for his extensive work monitoring and documenting the cases of activists detained by the ISS. He has been previously arrested for his peaceful human rights activities and his ongoing online calls for freedom and reform in Oman.

On 23 March 2015, he was summoned to the Special Branch of the Omani police in Muscat, where he was held incommunicado without access to his family or lawyer. He was released on 24 August 2015.

On 13 July 2014, he was arrested and interrogated for calling for a peaceful march in solidarity with the Palestinian people. He was released after several days of detention.

Recommendations

GCHR urges the authorities in Oman to:

1. Release human rights defender Talib Al-Saedi immediately and unconditionally;

2. Protect the public freedoms of citizens, particularly freedom of expression online and offline, and end 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.