Freedom of expression remains a serious and ongoing concern in Oman, where the authorities continue to rely on restrictive legislation and punitive practices to suppress dissent. The country has long been criticised for silencing human rights defenders, journalists, and online commentators through measures such as arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, travel bans, and wrongful imprisonment. Together, these practices create a pervasive climate of fear that stifles public debate and severely restricts civic space.
Only a few months ago, the ECDHR published an update highlighting the continued targeting of prominent activist Awad Al-Sawafi. For more than a decade, Al-Sawafi has faced sustained governmental harassment, abuse, and unfair judicial proceedings as a direct result of his peaceful online human rights activism. He was first arrested and imprisoned in 2012, and, notably, seven years after his initial arrest, he was charged with “incitement” and the “misuse of social media.” These charges were based on a series of tweets in which Al-Sawafi criticised the excessive concentration of power within the Omani government, underscoring how authorities retroactively criminalise online expression to punish dissent and deter others from speaking out.
Moreover, in September 2021, Awad Al-Sawafi was transferred from his role as a legal affairs researcher to a clerical position within the same ministry, a clear demotion unrelated to his qualifications. In 2024, despite his experience, he was dismissed, his authorization to represent the ministry was revoked, and he was reassigned to the human resources department as an administrative assistant. Viewing these measures as retaliation for his activism, Al-Sawafi filed a case with the Administrative Court in 2024 seeking reinstatement to his former position. The court dismissed his request in June 2024, citing vague “security reasons.” He appealed the decision, but despite the ministry’s failure to provide substantive justification and procedural irregularities during the hearings, including the judge interrupting Al-Sawafi when he attempted to testify, the Court of Appeal upheld the original ruling on 30 June 2025.
On 24 September 2025, the Supreme Court rejected Al-Sawafi’s new appeal against the Court of Appeal’s verdict, ordering him to pay court costs and confiscating his bail. The ruling cited unspecified “security reservations” from relevant authorities, who were said to have final authority in cases involving public employees.
This broader pattern of repression is further illustrated by the case of Talib Al-Saedi, who was forcibly disappeared and detained incommunicado in early December 2025 before being prosecuted under Article 19 of the Cybercrime Law for peacefully expressing his personal views online. His comments related to the tragic incident in the Al-Amarat district, in which six members of a single family lost their lives. On 31 December 2025, the Sohar Court of First Instance sentenced Al-Saedi to three months’ imprisonment, imposed a fine of 1,000 Omani rials, of which only 200 rials are payable, and ordered the confiscation of his mobile phone.
In light of these violations, the ECDHR calls for the immediate reinstatement of Awad Al-Sawafi to his former position and for the release of Talib Al-Saedi, urging Omani authorities to respect freedom of expression and end the criminalisation of peaceful speech and human rights activism.