Muscat: The Seeb Primary Court has sentenced an Omani citizen (Shihab bin Ahmad bin Salim) to imprisonment and a fine after convicting him of offences related to indecent conduct, misuse of information technology and disrespecting the national currency.
The court sentenced the defendant to two months in prison for publicly committing an indecent act and a further two months for appearing in a public place in a manner that offended public decency and contradicted the traditions and customs of society.
He was also sentenced to four months for using information technology and the internet to publish material that violated or disrupted public morals, in addition to a fine of RO150 for dealing with the country's currency with contempt.
The prison sentences were ordered to run concurrently, with only the most severe sentence to be enforced. The court also ordered the confiscation of the phone used in committing the offences, closure of the defendant's social media account, payment of court costs and publication of the judgment.
According to the investigations, the defendant appeared in a video performing indecent dance movements while wearing Omani attire and subsequently posted the clip on social media. Investigations also found that he had filmed another person wearing Omani attire and shared the footage online.
The investigations further revealed that he had shown disrespect towards the national currency by placing it on another person and ostentatiously passing it around.
The defendant was subsequently referred to the competent court after completion of the investigation procedures.
On July 22, the Seeb Court of Appeal accepted the appeal in form but dismissed it on the merits, upholding the appealed judgment while ordering the suspension of the prison sentence.
The Public Prosecution stressed that freedom of social media use carries a responsibility to respect public order, public morals and societal values. It urged users to refrain from producing, publishing or circulating content that violates public morals, conflicts with the established values and ethics of Omani society, or undermines its identity and societal principles.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
