The Emirates State Security Apparatus has transferred prominent Omani blogger Muawiya Al-Rawahi to the Al Wathba prison, where he was placed in solitary confinement. This according to the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR). He had been detained incommunicado since February. Despite repeated attempts by his family and his colleagues, the UAE authorities have reportedly refused to disclose his whereabouts and refused to give any reason for his arrest, in addition to not revealing any specific charges against him.

On 24 February 2015, Muawiya Al Rawahi, was stopped by the UAE security intelligence agents at the border and was not allowed to return back to Oman. He managed to make contact with a fellow human rights defender and told him that he had been stopped. Since then he has remained in incommunicado detention and there are serious concerns for his safety.

In the last years Al Rawahi has been detained several times in his home country Oman. Last year he was held for almost a month in a psychiatric hospital in Muscat. For a recent report on the human rights violations in Oman see: http://en.alkarama.org/oman/1645-oman-alkarama-denounces-numerous-violations-in-view-of-the-state-s-upcoming-universal-periodic-review

Muawiya Al-Rawahi