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Human rights defender Saed Jadad banned from travelling

Status: 
Travel Ban
About the situation

On 8 January, Omani authorities banned prominent human rights defender Mr Saed Jadad from travelling to Doha from Salalah airport in Oman. The human rights defender was told that he has been placed on a blacklist and would not be allowed to travel out of Oman until the year 2099.

About Saed Jadad

Saed JadadSaed Jadad is a prominent human rights activist and blogger who has led several protests in Dhofar, southern Oman. The human rights defender called for government reform in 2011 and urged Sultan Qaboos to expand the Omani consultative assembly. Mr Jadad has been documenting human rights violations in Oman and has been critical of the government's respect for human rights both on social media and in newspaper articles. He has officially been banned from publishing in Omani newspapers, including in Al Zaman and Ruaya newspapers to which he contributed.

10 January 2017
Human rights defender Saed Jadad banned from travelling

On 8 January, Omani authorities banned prominent human rights defender Mr Saed Jadad from travelling to Doha from Salalah airport in Oman. The human rights defender was told that he has been placed on a blacklist and would not be allowed to travel out of Oman until the year 2099.

Donwload the Urgent Appeal (PDF)

On 8 January, Saed Jadad was told by a security officer at the Omani Salalah airport that he would not be able to travel until the year 2099 after being blacklisted by the Omani government. According to the human rights defender, no written decision was given to him regarding the travel ban.

Saed Jadad has been an active human rights defender in Oman for some years. He was recently released from prison on 26 August 2016 after serving a one-year prison sentence on charges that include the "use of an information network (the Internet) in the dissemination of material that would prejudice public order."

Front Line Defenders condemns the travel ban imposed on Saed Jadad as it believes it to be in retaliation to his legitimate and peaceful human rights activities.

Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Oman to:

1. Immediately and unconditionally remove the travel ban imposed upon Saed Jadad, as Front Line Defenders believes that he is being restricted solely as a result of his legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights;

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.