On 25 November, state security forces raided the home of prominent human rights defender Saeed Jadad. They arrested and transferred him to prison.

At approximately 1am on 25 November 2015, state security forces raided the home of Saeed Jadad, detained and transferred him to Arzat prison in the city of Salalah. The arrest followed ratification by the Court of Appeal in Salalah on 18 November of the sentence issued by the Court of First Instance, of a one -year prison term and a fine of 1000 Omani Rials (2600 US$). Saeed Jadad was convicted on alleged charges of “the use of an information network (Internet) in the dissemination of material that would prejudice public order” according to the verdict issued by the Court of First Instance on 07 April 2015.

Saeed Jadad has faced continuous targeting by authorities. On 31 October 2014, when he was getting a flight to Istanbul via Doha, a plain clothes security personnel told him that a travel ban was in place against him since last July although he was never informed about it. The judicial harassment against him, is an attempt to stop his peaceful and legitimate human rights work. For more information please follow the following links:

https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/969

https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/956

https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/935

https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/880

https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/848

https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/457

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) deplores in the strongest terms the one year prison sentence issued against human rights defender Saeed Jadad in a trial that lacked basic international standards and due process and was based on a charge that was fabricated in order to confiscate his rights to freedom of expression and opinion on the Internet. The GCHR expresses deep concern at the attempt by Internal Security Service (ISS), acting on direct orders from the higher authorities in the country, to systematically dismantle the Omani human rights movement. The GCHR calls on the international community, including the UN system and governments that have influence such as the US and UK, to intervene immediately to protect human rights defenders at risk in Oman.

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights urges the Omani authorities to:

1.  Immediately and unconditionally release human rights defender Saeed Jadad and drop all charges against him. And stop all the judicial harassments against him as he has been targeted solely due to his peaceful and legitimate human rights work;

2. 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 6 (c) “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others: (c) To study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and in practice, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters” and to  Article 12.2, which provides that “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.”