A committed member of the Omani Parliament and environmental activist, Talib Al Mamari will receive Alkarama's 2015 Award for Human Rights Defenders in the Arab World, in recognition for his significant work defending human rights in the country, particularly since the crackdown on civil society following the protests of 2011. His nomination also honours Al Mamari's courage speaking up for the Omani civil society before the Parliament, and reminding both the government and petrochemical companies of their obligations. The Alkarama Foundation will present its 2015 Award at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva on Tuesday 8 December 2015 ahead of Human Rights Day (10 December).
On the 30 April 2015, Alkarama sent a follow-up communication to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of freedom to peaceful assembly and of association (SR FPAA) regarding the case of Mohammed Al Fazari, an Omani journalist and human rights activist whose passport was confiscated at Muscat International Airport on 22 December 2014 as he was travelling to London, before being informed that a travel ban had been issued against him and further interrogated for eight hours by a Special Section of the Royal Omani Police.
Alkarama welcomes the release on bail of Said Jadad, imprisoned since 21 January 2015 after numerous measures of retaliation against his human rights activism. On 30 January, a public call for his immediate release was jointly issued by several UN Special Rapporteurs, whom Alkarama had sent urgent appeals to.
On 23 March 2015, Alkarama submitted its report in view of Oman's upcoming Universal Periodic Review (UPR), which will take place in November 2015 during the 23rd session of the UPR Working Group. The report provides information on Oman's implementation of recommendations made during its first review in 2011, as well as on the current human rights situation. In particular, the report outlines the main human rights violations committed by the authorities, notably arbitrary detention, violations of the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and the systematic retaliation against human rights defenders and peaceful political activists.
On 8 March 2015, Omani human rights defender, Said Jadad was condemned to three years imprisonment by Muscat's Court of First Instance. Jadad is also still waiting for another trial before the Court of Salalah, which could subject him to further sanctions. While the criminal procedures against him in Muscat are based on the overly broad incrimination of "harming the State's prestige," the charges brought against him in Salalah are targeting his peaceful criticism of the State's repressive policies on social media.