MUSCAT – The Supreme Court accepted the appeals in form but rejected them on the substance on July 7, 2026, following an earlier ruling by the Muscat Court of Appeal on 16 February 2026, which upheld the convictions while suspending the prison sentences for all appellants.
According to the Public Prosecution, the Primary Court of Muscat (Criminal Circle) convicted the first defendant, Abdullah Abdulrahman Mohammed, for using information technology to insult others, an offence punishable under Article 16 of the Law on Combating Cybercrimes.
He was sentenced to one year in prison and fined RO 1,000, with the remainder of the prison sentence suspended, requiring him to serve only one month.
The second defendant, Yosef Ahmed Shaheen, and the third defendant, Tarik Ibrahim Hassan, were convicted of vote-buying with the intent of influencing the outcome of the 10th Shura Council Elections.
The two defendants were each initially sentenced to one year in prison and fined RO 5,000. The court partially suspended the penalties against the third defendant, reducing his sentence to six months in prison and a fine of RO 1,000.
The sentences will run concurrently, with only the more severe penalty applied against the second defendant. The court also ordered the publication of the ruling.
The Public Prosecution said investigations found that the first and second defendants published a video on social media containing insults against one of the candidates in the 10th Shura Council Elections, questioning his eligibility and ability to perform his duties in a manner that harmed his reputation.
Investigators also uncovered communications between the second and third defendants indicating an agreement to buy votes in favour of the second defendant, which the prosecution said undermined the integrity of the electoral process and the freedom of voting.
After completing investigations, the defendants were referred to the competent court, leading to the convictions and subsequent appeals.