A/HRC/30/29 legal action and affirmed that such contacts could be authorized only by the Human Rights Commission of Oman. The Government, in its response of 16 December, denied the allegations of harassment, and explained that the main purpose of the meeting had been to “discuss the comments Tariq had made on the human rights situation in Oman in light of the contact he had with the Special Rapporteur” and that “the current procedures of the National Human Rights Committee allow individuals to submit any comments they may wish to make concerning human rights issues […] so that individuals do not have to address those foreign organizations themselves” (ibid.). 34. Following reports of reprisals against Said Ali Said Jadad, a human rights defender advocating for democratic reforms in the country, three joint communications were addressed by mandate holders to the Government, on 11 November and 16 December 2014, and 29 January 2015. After meeting with the Special Rapporteur during his abovementioned country visit, Mr. Jadad was reportedly subjected to greater surveillance. On 31 October 2014, while on his way to board a flight to Istanbul to attend a workshop for human rights defenders, Mr. Jadad was stopped, his passport confiscated and informed of a travel ban issued against him by border control officers at Muscat International Airport. On 10 December, members of the Oman Royal Police and the Internal Security Forces reportedly arrested Mr. Jadad at his house in Salalah. He was released on 22 December 2014 after his son’s passport was confiscated as a guarantee, but rearrested on 21 January 2015, reportedly on charges of, inter alia, undermining the prestige of the State (A/HRC/28/85, case OMN 3/2014, and A/HRC/29/50, cases OMN 5/2014 and OMN 1/2015). In a press release of 30 January 2015, mandate holders urged the Government to release Mr. Jadad and to guarantee that no human rights defender in the country would be subjected to any form of reprisal.9 In response to the second communication and the press release, on 20 February 2015, the Government rejected the allegations, explaining that Mr. Jadad had been arrested not for having met with the Special Rapporteur but because of violation of laws and regulations (A/HRC/29/50, case OMN 5/2014). 35. On 27 March 2015, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, together with two other mandate holders,raised concerns at alleged acts of intimidation and reprisal against Mohammad al-Fazari, a human rights activist and blogger, also for having met with him during his country visit (ibid., OMN 2/2015). On 22 December 2014, Mr. Al-Fazari was reportedly prevented from boarding a flight at Muscat International Airport and subjected to a de facto travel ban when his travel documents, including his passport, were confiscated. He was reportedly summoned to appear before the Special Division of the Omani Police in Muscat, where he was interrogated for eight hours without any information on the reason for his interrogation or de facto travel ban. His passport was not returned to him (ibid.). At the time of finalization of the present report, no response had been received from the Government. In his oral presentation to the Human Rights Council at its twenty-ninth session, the Special Rapporteur reiterated his dismay at all alleged cases of reprisals10 and, in his report insisted that the Government clarify and determine whether reprisals occurred and keep him informed of the status of investigations, prosecution and protection plans put in place (A/HRC/29/25/Add.3, paras. 579-581). On 17 June 2015, in its oral reply to the Special Rapporteur’s presentation, the delegate of Oman made no reference to the allegations of reprisals. 9 10 12 OHCHR, “Oman: UN experts call for the immediate release of prominent rights activist as reprisals continue unchecked”, 30 January 2015. OHCHR, “Human Rights Council discusses freedom of opinion and expression and freedoms of peaceful assembly and of association”, 17 June 2015.