Pakistan Press Foundation is concerned over the arrest of two journalists of Azamn newspaper in Oman
Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in a letter to Qaboos bin Said al Said, Sultan of Oman expressed concern over the arrest of a two journalists of Azamn newspaper.
PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter urged the government of Oman to thoroughly investigate the case and immediately release Ibrahim al-Maamari and Zaher al-Abri.
According to Gulf Centre for Human Rights, on July 28 Oman’s Internal Security Service (ISS) arrested renowned journalist Ibrahim Al-Maamari, Editor-in-chief of Azamn newspaper.
Al-Maamari’s was arrested for his article published in Azamn newspaper on July 26, entitled “Supreme bodies tie the hands of justice”. The article highlighted the corruption of senior officials and their interference in judicial decisions.
According to Committee to protect journalists (CPJ), another journalist Al-Abri was arrested after being summoned for inquiring by the Special Division of the Omani police.
The day before his arrest Al-Abri said that, the paper had not received any official information about the charges al-Maamari faces, neither any condemnation has been issued. He further added that, Azamn received an order from the Ministry of Information forbidding it from publishing further details on the case.
Al-Maamari was under investigation for charges including publishing bogus news and undermining the prestige of the state. In protest, the newspaper publishes a blank space on its front page every day this month.
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