The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) has received reliable information that human rights defenders Basema Al-Rajehi, Basma Al-Kiyumi, Saeed Al-Hashmi together with another 14 detainees commenced a hunger strike against the delay in the processing of their cases at the High Court in addition to ill-treatment in the prison.

On 9 February 2013, 17 detainees at Samail Central Prison including human rights defenders Basema Al-Rajehi, Basma Al-Kiyumi, and Saeed Al-Hashmi started a hunger strike protesting the delay in processing the appeals against their sentences submitted to the High Court and against ill-treatment in the prison.

Some reports received by the GCHR suggested that human rights defender Saeed Al-Hashmi has been placed in a solitary confinement as the authorities regarded him as the main instigator of the hunger strike.

The GCHR issued an appeal following the imprisonment of a group of human rights defenders in Oman last December. For further information see GCHR appeal on 20 December 2012 (https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/304).

The GCHR views the imprisonment of human rights defenders including Basema Al-Rajehi, Basma Al-Kiyumi, and Saeed Al-Hashmi as being directly related to the legitimate and peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression and believes that their ongoing detention constitutes a blatant violation of their basic human rights. The GCHR expresses concern for the physical and psychological security of the human rights defenders as they continue their hunger strike and calls on the authorities to immediately secure their release.

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) urges the authorities in Oman to:

1. Immediately and unconditionally release Basema Al-Rajehi, Basma Al-Kiyumi, Saeed Al-Hashmi, and all other human rights defenders detained as a result of their legitimate human rights activities;

2. Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and security of Basema Al-Rajehi, Basma Al-Kiyumi, Saeed Al-Hashmi, and all other human rights defenders while they remain in detention;

3. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Oman are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.

The GCHR respectfully reminds you that the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, recognizes the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to freedom of association and to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals. We would particularly draw your attention to Article 5: “For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels: (a) To meet or assemble peacefully ” and to Article 12 (2): “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration.”