Oman is widely supposed to be “moderate,” but “freedom of expression is extremely restricted in the Sultanate.” And of course that’s the vogue all over these days.
“Outcry in Oman as two activists jailed for ‘blasphemy’, in ‘trumped up charges,'” The New Arab, June 9, 2022:
Two Omani activists have been handed prison terms over social media posts and WhatsApp messages that authorities have described as “blasphemous”, sparking an uproar in the Gulf country over issues of free speech.
The activists, Maryam Al-Nuaimi and Ali Al-Ghafri, were sentenced on Tuesday to three and five years in prison by the Sohar Court of Appeal. They were also charged with misuse of social media.
The court also acquitted activist Ghaith Al-Shibli for lack of criminal responsibility, and moved another Omani national’s case, Abdullah Hassan, to a specialised court.
Al-Shibli was previously charged with “insulting and offending the Divine Essence” and “using the internet to incite and tempt the commission of debauchery”, over a tweet about alleged government corruption….
The court also confiscated the defendants’ mobile phones and ordered the closure of their Twitter accounts at the time of their arrest….
Thirty-year-old Al-Nuaimi was alleged to have sent WhatsApp messages suggesting that “religions are patriarchal”, and was charged with “insulting monotheistic religions”.
Women’s rights groups have launched a campaign calling for the release of Al-Nuaimi, who alleged that her phone was forcibly confiscated during an arbitrary investigation.
Al-Nuaimi was subjected to solitary confinement, endangering her psychological and physical health, they added.
Meanwhile, Al-Ghafiri was sentenced for “insulting and offending God”, according to the Gulf Council for Human Rights….
Freedom of expression is extremely restricted in the Sultanate, says Amnesty International, and authorities have detained several activists in recent years over perceived criticism of government policies….
somehistory says
Ah, yes, now the government is ‘god.’ what a farce. What an evil.
Men are sitting in prison in D.C. for similar “charges” while a show trial is enacted on television “news” channels and the actors play at being God as they judge those who were just standing around on public property and others who were trying to save lives while being maced by the cops.
Much like the mozlum-run countries are imprisoning people for telling the truth. No place on earth is safe from this growing tyranny.
Keith O says
An example of a government playing god is the Julian Assange case.
Think about it, a journalist is pursued through various countries and courts because he blew the whistle on the cock ups of the US government.
And that started under Obama!
somehistory says
“bo” believes he is ‘god’; and so does biden, pelosi, schumer, fauci, mayorkas, soros, b, gates, and so many others. It’s like mt olympus. Too many doing too many things to keep straight.
If one cannot speak Truth…or even what is mistaken for truth, then he is not free. those who are lying, want all of the freedom to speak and those on the side of Truth must be silenced.
somehistory says
so “do” I should have written.
Fitna says
Everything George Orwell warned us about is in Islam, times a thousand. Imagine, no freedom, no right to protest against 7th century religious dogma. Nothing but brutality, authority, oppression.
Say a negative thing about Nazi-Islam go directly to jail, be tortured, raped, waste years of your life or face a terrible death.
All because of some words that some bastards with a stick up their azz don’t want to hear. At least in the West you can hold some signs, protest people in power, speak out against tyranny.
In Muslim countries it’s 24-7 Islam, watch what you say or else. If a Muslim asks you out girl, careful what you say, you could be accused of blasphemy or get kidnapped, raped and killed by him and his thugs.
If all the Qurans were instantly burned the world would be a little better off….would be nice if the fundamentalists burned along with them.
The only escape from Islam is to leave their nation or to die. And if you’re a Muslim who wants some change from Islamic tyranny, they’ll come after you next.
The greatest thing the West could do for decent Muslims and humanity is to declare war on Islam, stamp out this evil disease wherever it rears its ugly head.
Millions of Muslims who don’t believe in Allah will be grateful. Anything else is more civilized, humane and better than Islam. Christianity, Hinduism, Atheism, etc, would all be an improvement for them.
gravenimage says
Oman: Two activists jailed for ‘blasphemy’ over ‘trumped-up charges’
………………..
These poor women. So much for “moderation”…
Andrew Blackadder says
Being busted for speaking out against God… Well no doubt God is pleased with seeing some of his flock stand up for him as his wee feelings must have been hurt…..
The going gets tough when the tough get going…
Always be aware of those who speak for God.
OLD GUY says
I’ll stand up for the Christian 10 Commandments, they sure as hell are more civil than the sharia laws of islam. Christianity teaches love and respect for your fellow man, Islam teaches hate and violence. If God created and so loves man why would God want MAN to decide who lives and who to kill on his behalf. The Prophet Mohammad who was a MAN seems to have taken that control over life into his own hands and is telling other MEN they have the right to decide who live and who dies based on their decision not GODS.