Oman: Authorities Confiscate Al Mowatin Editor's Passport/ID Card and Impose Travel Ban

On the 30 April 2015, Alkarama sent a follow-up communication to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of freedom to peaceful assembly and of association (SR FPAA) regarding the case of Mohammed Al Fazari, an Omani journalist and human rights activist whose passport was confiscated at Muscat International Airport on 22 December 2014 as he was travelling to London, before being informed that a travel ban had been issued against him and further interrogated for eight hours by a Special Section of the Royal Omani Police.

Editor-in-chief and founder of the electronic magazine, Al Mowatin, a journal for citizens to be informed and to discuss subjects related inter alia to politics, rights and society, 26-year-old Al Fazari is a well-known journalist and critique who has been defending the civil and political rights of men and women throughout the country.

In retaliation for his activism, Al Fazari had already been arrested by the Private Section of the Royal Oman Police in Muscat on 31 August 2014 after being summoned for "reasons that concern him personally." This happened a week before the visit of the Special Rapporteur on FPAA, Maina Kiai, while Al Fazari was calling on civil society members in Oman to meet with Mr Kiai in view of his visit to Oman between 8-11 September 2014. After an urgent appeal sent by Alkarama on the day of his arrest, he was released on 5 September 2014, which enabled him to meet with the Special Rapporteur during his visit. Since then, Al Fazari was put under stricter surveillance by the internal intelligence.

It is at 11.30am on 22 December 2014 that Al Fazari was stopped at Muscat International Airport, where his passport was confiscated and he was informed that a travel ban had been issued against him, although he wasn't given any reason. He was then asked to appear immediately before the Special Section of the Royal Omani Police in Muscat where he was detained for interrogation until 8pm. Although he was released and no charges were brought against him, the authorities also confiscated his national ID card.

By confiscating all his identity papers the authorities are clearly retaliating against him for his activities as a human rights defender and journalist, including his meeting with Special Rapporteur Kiai. These measures are not only infringing his right to freedom of expression, but are also a clear violation of his right to freedom of movement. Alkarama therefore urges the Special Rapporteur to intervene on behalf of Al Fazari and to urge the Omani authorities to lift his travel ban immediately and return his identity documents without further delay. His case was also recently brought to the attention of the public by Alkarama during the World Press Freedom Day, which was celebrated globally on 3 May.

Since the 2011 protests, Oman has seen an alarming deterioration of human rights and fundamental freedoms, with the authorities' response to civil society's calls for greater freedom to participate in the country's political life being met with reprisals, including arbitrary arrests and secret detentions. In August 2014, new provisions were also introduced in law authorising the deprivation of nationality to any Omani citizen who undermines the image of the State abroad, including by cooperating with international organisations.

For more information or an interview, please contact the media team at media@alkarama.org (Dir: +41 22 734 1007 Ext: 810)