Antécédents de l'affaire: Saed Jadad

Front Line Defenders est préoccupée par la détérioration de la santé du défenseur des droits humains M. Saed Jadad, condamné à un an de prison en novembre 2015. Le défenseur souffre de graves douleurs du cœur et de fatigue, liées à un problème cardiaque, pour lequel les autorités pénitentiaires ne lui ont pas fourni de soins médicaux adaptés.

Le 17 avril 2016, la santé de Saed Jadad s'est considérablement dégradée alors qu'il est incarcéré dans la prison centrale d'Arzat, dans l'ouest de Salalah. Les autorités de la prison ont initialement refusé de transférer le défenseur à l'hôpital, malgré l'urgence et la gravité de son état. Deux jours plus tard, le 19 avril, les autorités pénitentiaires ont fini par accepter de conduire Saed Jadad aux urgences. À l'hôpital, un médecin généraliste a recommandé que le défenseur soit examiné par un spécialiste en cardiologie. Cependant, une heure plus tard, le défenseur a été reconduit à la prison d'Arzat.

En novembre 2015, Saed Jadad a été arrêté par les forces de sécurité lors d'une perquisition de son domicile, avant d'être conduit dans la prison Arzat. Il a été placé en détention après que la cour d'appel de Salalah a confirmé la peine d'un an de prison et une amende de 1000 rials omanais le 18 novembre 2015. Le défenseur des droits humains est accusé d'avoir "utilisé un réseau d'information dans le but de diffuser des documents qui pourraient nuire à l'ordre public", après un message posté sur son blog, dans lequel il comparait les manifestations de 2014 à Hong Kong et les manifestations de 2011 à Dhofar.

Dans une affaire distincte, en septembre 2015, la Cour d'appel de Mascate a confirmé une peine de trois ans de prison avec sursis et une amende de 2000 rials omanais. Saed Jadad est accusé d'avoir "minimisé le prestige de l'État", d'avoir "incité à manifester" et d'avoir "utilisé les réseaux sociaux pour diffuser des informations qui violent le caractère sacré de l'ordre public", suite à une lettre ouverte qu'il a adressée au Président américain Barack Obama en 2013, à propos des violations des droits humains à Oman. Le 8 mars 2015, le tribunal de première instance a ordonné que Saed Jadad purge les trois peines susmentionnées simultanément et qu'il paye une amende totale de 1700 rials omanais.

Front Line Defenders est profondément préoccupée par la santé du défenseur des droits humains Saed Jadad ainsi que par l'accès limité et retardé aux soins.

Front Line Defenders exhorte les autorités d'Oman à:

1. Garantir immédiatement des soins médicaux spéciaux et que son traitement en prison corresponde à toutes les conditions établies dans les « Principes fondamentaux relatifs à la Protection de Toute Personne contre Toute Forme de Détention ou Emprisonnement » adoptés par l'Assemblée Générale dans sa résolution 43/173 du 9 décembre 1988 ;

2. Infirmer la peine prononcée contre Saed Jadad et le libérer, car Front Line Defenders pense que sa condamnation est uniquement motivée par son travail légitime et pacifique en faveur des droits humains;

3. Garantir qu’en toutes circonstances, tous-tes les défenseur-ses des droits humains à Oman puissent mener à bien leurs actions légitimes en faveur des droits humains, sans craindre ni restrictions ni représailles.

Your Highness,

Front Line Defenders wishes to bring your attention to the conviction and detention of human rights defender Mr Saed Jadad in connection with his peaceful and legitimate activities in the promotion and protection of human rights.

Mr Jadad is a human rights defender and blogger who works mainly in the Dhofar region. His work includes documenting human rights violations, as well as writing blog posts highlighting current human rights violations in Oman.

Mr Jadad is now serving a total of four years imprisonment in connection with convictions from two separate cases. On 8 March 2015, the Court of First Instance in Muscat sentenced Mr Jadad to three years' imprisonment and a fine amounting to 1,700 Omani Rial (approximately €4,072) on charges relating to undermining the prestige of the state, inciting the public to join an illegal gathering, and publishing material that disturbs the public order via the internet. Additionally, on 17 March 2015, Mr Jadad appeared before the court of First Instance in Salalah, on a charge relating to the Cyber Crimes Law. He was sentenced on 31 March 2015 to one year's imprisonment and fined 1,000 Omani Rials (approximately €2412). Mr Jadad has been in detention since his arrest on 21 January 2015.

Mr Jadad has been harassed by the authorities on several occasions. On 22 December 2014, the human rights defender was released on bail after being held in an undisclosed location for 12 days. He was charged with undermining the status and prestige of the state, accusations that are reportedly related to Mr Jadad's call for social and political reform during a meeting with members of the European Parliament in 2013. Mr Jadad had been arrested on 10 December 2014 by plain-clothed members of the security forces on the street in Oqad region in the city of Salalah. Members of the security forces accompanied him to his residence in order to search it, and confiscated his laptop and mobile phone. Previously, on 31 October 2014, Mr Jadad was prevented from travelling on a flight to Doha while on route to Istanbul. He was stopped by a plain-clothed security agent and informed that a travel ban had been issued against him in July 2014. Mr Jadad has also been officially banned from publishing in the Omani media, including in newspapers which he used to contribute to, such as Al Zaman and Ru’aya.

Front Line Defenders expresses concern at the sentencing of Mr Jadad, which it believes to be solely related to the human rights defender's legitimate exercise of the right of freedom of expression and his human rights work. We are also concerned for the deterioration of Mr Jadad's health. Front Line Defenders respectfully reminds you that the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, recognises the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to freedom of association and to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals. We would particularly draw your attention to Article 6 (b): “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others: (b) As provided for in human rights and other applicable international instruments, freely to publish, impart or disseminate to others views, information and knowledge on all human rights and fundamental freedoms,” and to Article 12 (2): “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration.” In the last Universal Periodic Review in early 2011, Oman declared its commitment to ensure a safe and effective working environment for human rights defenders and enhance freedom of expression, association and assembly.

We would request that you take measures to put an end to the detention of Mr Saed Jadad and guarantee that all human rights defenders in Oman are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all undue restrictions.

Yours sincerely,

Mary Lawlor

Executive Director

On 27 January 2015, human rights defender Mr Saed Jadad was transferred from the Military Hospital in Salalah to Muscat to attend his first hearing in his trial before the Court of First Instance in Muscat on charges including "undermining the prestige of the state". The human rights defender has been on hunger strike since his arrest on 21 January 2015.

The human rights defender is currently being detained at the Special division of the Omani Police in Mascat.

On 10 December 2014, International Human Rights Day, at approximately 9:00 p.m., human rights defender Mr Saed Jadad was arrested by a group of uniformed and plain-clothed members of the security forces while in the street in Oqad region in the city of Salalah in the province of Dhofar. He was arrested approximately 10 minutes after he left his residence, which is located in the same area.

Following his arrest, the security forces accompanied him to his residence where three police and military vehicles parked in front of his house. Members of the security forces searched his residence and confiscated his laptop and mobile phone. Following the search, the human rights defender was taken to an undisclosed location. The following day, his family went to the police station in Salalah to enquire about his arrest but no information was provided to them and his whereabouts remain unknown. Reportedly, the security forces did not have a warrant for his arrest and no official charges have been brought against him.

On 4 July 2013, prominent Omani human rights activist and blogger Mr Said Jadad was released from detention on a bail of 600 Omani Riyals (approx $1500). He is currently awaiting trial, facing charges of resisting arrest and obstruction of justice. The human rights defender had been arrested on the morning of 4 July when police and anti-riot forces raided his family farm with no arrest warrant.

He had been held for 8 hours with 18 other prisoners, in conditions that are not in compliance with minimum standards of humane detention. These unsanitary and difficult conditions are particularly serious given Said Jadad's health conditions, which include high blood pressure, heart and back problems. During this and previous periods of detention, he was denied appropriate medical care and access to a lawyer.

This occurred most recently in January 2013 when he was detained without a warrant or charges, and was later released.

On 22 January 2013, human rights defender Mr Said Jadad was released from the General Prosecution Office without any formal charges. He had been in detention since 14 January 2013.