Around 50 copywriters, writing for a series of
blogs, have been pardoned by the Omani Sultan after initially receiving
long-term prison sentences. A number of human rights activists have also been
released despite being charged with defamation, cyber-crime and illegal
gathering.
Members of copywriting teams, individual bloggers and human
rights activists were jailed having taken to blogs and social media sites to
protest against political issues in Oman.
Under Oman law, postings on social media sites and blogs, or copywriting that
can be interpreted as defamatory are considered to be a breach of Oman law.
Press freedom watchdog, ‘Reporters Without
Borders’ (RSF), based in Paris, France, released a statement saying: “We’re
extremely relieved to hear of the pardons granted by the Sultan, Qaboos bin
Said, Al-Said.”
Write House understands that around 20 of the
copywriting professionals and bloggers staged a hunger strike in protest of
their imprisonment and the length of time it took for the Supreme Court to
investigate their appeals.
In a further statement from the RSF, they
said: “This is an encouraging gesture for freedom of information in the
sultanate… The [Omani] laws on freedom of information, including online freedom
of information, must be reformed so that they comply with international
undertakings signed and ratified by the sultanate; this includes copywriting and
blogging in all forms.”
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