Oman: Democracy campaigner detained

United Nations experts have urged Oman to release human rights defender Said Ali Said Jadad, who has been advocating for democratic reforms. In a statement issued by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (who is Jordanian Zeid Raad Al-Hussein), officials said Jadad had been detained on 21 January without an arrest warrant. He was due to appear in court in Muscat on charges of undermining the prestige of the state, incitement to sit-ins and demonstrations, stirring up sectarian strife and offending state officials.