Oman: Judicial prosecution against journalist Mr A’sem Al-Sheedi for writing on police corruption





Posted on 2009/12/18On 8 December 2008, the general director of the Police and Customs in Oman submitted a penal suit against Mr A’sem Al-Sheedi, accusing him of denouncing the Police in an article published in Oman newspaper on 7 December 2009. A’sem Al-Sheedi was summoned by the Prosecution office on 12 December 2009 and charged with "slander against the police apparatus" and "false testimony", for refusing to reveal his source of information.

Further Information

In his suit, the general director of the Police said that A’sem Al-Sheedi should reveal his source of information otherwise he should be prosecuted according to the law. According to the source, A’sem Al-Sheedi is under amounting pressure to reveal his source of information. According to the Omani Law, in such a case, the chief editor of the newspaper is an equal partner in the “crime”. However, in this case, the editor of Oman newspaper which published the article has not been accused or summoned by the police or the Public Prosecution. Oman newspaper is a semi-official newspaper and the chair of its board is appointed by an order by the Sultan “the head of state”.It is worth noting that the Public Prosecution in Oman is part of the Police and Customs, which is headed by Malek Bin Suliman Al-Me’mary. The latter was involved in cases against many activists and journalist in Oman, including the six-month imprisonment of Ms Taiba Al-Mawali, a former member of the Shura Council, for allegedly distributing information related to the detention and torture of a group of detainees in 2005, and the case against human rights blogger, Mr Ali al-Zwaidi, for publishing documents related to corruption and government control on freedom of expression in Oman - see frontlinedefenders.org/node/1858.