Oman arrests bloggers and writers

Portraits of former Oman volleyball player Habiba Al Hinai and activists Esmail Al Muqbali and Yaqoub Al Kharusi. The activists were arrested following their visit to Fahoud oil fields on 31 May  to show solidarity with the striking Omani workers from contracting companies, who were commissioned to complete a project for two oil companies in the country. Their portraits were circulated by blogger Nabhan al-Hinshi who himself ha been detained since. Hinaie and Kharusi were released in the meantime.   

The authorities in Oan have escalated their campaign against freedom of expression and have arrested six writers and bloggers on Friday who are: Hassan Alriqiche; blogger, Hammoud al-Rashdi; writer, Nabhan al-Hinshi; writer, Hamad al-Kharusi; poet, Ali al-Saadi; blogger and Ali al-Hajji; blogger.

The Arabic Network for Human Rights information (ANHRI) in Cairo reports that this campaign comes after an earlier arrest  of Habiba al-Hana’i, Yaqoub al-Kharusi and Ismail al-Meqbali, whom were arrested on 31/5/2012 while trying to monitor and follow up the open labor strike in “Fohood” oil field. Also arrested  were the activists Ismail al-Aghbari on 4/6/2012 and Khalfan al-Badrawi on 6/6/2012. 
ANHRI considers the arrests an escalation of the repression of freedom of opinion in the country which  comes after Sultan Qaboos last year approved legislative amendments limiting 'the freedom of demonstration and peaceful assembly, following the demonstrations and protests that swept the country on the background of the Arab revolutions spring'.