Free Omani journalist, says RSF

Paris-based watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has appealed to Oman to release a journalist on trial over an article he wrote alleging corruption in the Ministry of Justice.

RSF said it 'has written to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos (bin Said)... expressing deep concern at tomorrow's (Sunday's) trial of Yousef al Haj, a journalist with the Muscat-based daily Al Zaman, as a result of a complaint by the Minister of Justice Sheikh Mohammed al Hinai about (an) article published on 14 May’.

Haj was charged with 'insulting the Ministry of Justice, insulting the Minister and his Undersecretary, trying to create divisions within Omani society, violating article 60 of the civil code (the publications law) and working as a journalist without a permit', RSF said.