The appeal court in Muscat has confirmed the sentences against Hassan Albasham on 19th November 2017, which the high court had abolished it on the 17th of January 2017, and returned the case to the appeal court which surprisingly, confirmed the same sentences!
Activist and former diplomat Hassan al-Basham sentenced on 8th February 2016 to three years in prison, on the following three counts:
– open blasphemy (three years in prison and a fine of OR500 ($1,300));
– insulting the Sultan (three years in prison and a fine of OR500 ($1,300)); and
– using the Internet in a manner prejudicial to religious values (one year in prison and a fine of OR1,000 ($2,600)).
Al-Basham was subsequently arrested on the 3rd of May 2016 and held pending the outcome of his appeal, which resulted in his sentence being upheld on June 13, 2016.
