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Oman: Court of appeal orders suspension of sentences against human rights defender and journalist Yousif Al Hajposted on: 2012/01/09

Further to the Front Line Defenders appeal dated 28 July 2011, Front Line Defenders has received the following information concerning Mr Yousif Al Haj:

Oman: Human rights defender and journalist Mr Yousif Al-Haj subject of a criminal investigation, prohibited from writingposted on: 2011/07/28

Human rights defender and journalist Mr Yousif Al-Haj is the subject of a criminal investigation and has been banned from writing or publishing articles by the Minister of Information since 8 July 2011.

The ban on writing stems from the publication of an article in which Yousif Al-Haj exposes the Minister of Justice and his Undersecretary for refusing to increase the salary and grade of a civil servant who has worked for the Omani State for a number of years. Yousif Al-Haj is a journalist with the Al-Zaman newspaper, and writes extensively on politics and social issues in Oman.

It is believed that the Public Prosecutor's Office advised the Minister for Information to issue the ban following the interrogation of Yousif Al-Haj on 5 July 2011.

Oman: Human rights defender, Mr Ali al-Zwaidi, sentenced to 10 days in prisonposted on: 2009/04/24

Front Line is concerned following reports that human rights defender, Mr Ali al-Zwaidi, has been fined 200 Omani Rial and sentenced to 10 days in prison on 21 April 2009. Ali al-Zwaidi is a supervisor of an on-line discussion forum called “Sablat Oman”. He is a co-founder and a board member of the Oman Writers' Society and has been a writer in the Oman press since 1986.

Oman: Possible sentencing of prominent journalist, Mr Ali al-Zwaidiposted on: 2009/03/20

Front Line is concerned that prominent journalist Mr Ali al-Zwaidi could face a sentence for publishing a document related to government control on freedom of expression in Oman. The verdict is expected to be reached in court on 21 April 2009.