Muscat – Seeb Primary Court issued a verdict convicting and sentencing an Omani national named Shihab bin Ahmed bin Salem on May 14, 2026. The defendant faced multiple charges, including publicly committing an indecent act, appearing in a public place in a manner that offends public decency and contradicts societal traditions, using information technology and the internet to publish material violating public morals, and dealing with the country’s currency with contempt.

The court handed down penalties comprising 2 months’ imprisonment for public indecency, 2 months’ imprisonment for offending public decency, 4 months’ imprisonment for IT violations alongside the confiscation of the phone used and the closure of his social media account, and a fine of RO 150 for currency contempt. The sentences were ordered to be served concurrently, enforcing only the most severe sentence, alongside court costs and publication of the judgment.

Investigations revealed that the defendant performed indecent dance moves in Omani attire, filmed another person in Omani attire, and posted the clip online, in addition to disrespecting the national currency by placing it on another person and ostentatiously passing it around. On July 22, the Seeb Court of Appeal accepted the appeal in form but dismissed it on the merits, upholding the judgment while ordering the suspension of the prison sentence. The Public Prosecution affirmed that social media freedom must be paired with respect for public order, morals, and societal values.