Authorities ban books of Omani writer Dr. Mohammed Al-Fazari
Confiscating and banning the novel “Uncertainty” in Jordan
The authorities in Jordan continue to pursue their repressive policy, which is an extension of a prevailing and systematic pattern they have adopted in the past ten years, which includes, in particular, curtailing public freedoms, including the freedom of peaceful demonstration and freedom of expression.
The Omani writer, Dr. Mohammed Al-Fazari, learned that the Jordanian authorities had banned one of his books from publication and distribution in the country, and confiscated copies of it. Reliable local sources confirmed that his book, entitled “Uncertainty”, issued by the Arab Foundation for Studies and Publishing, was banned from distribution in February 2024. The book does not address any sensitive Jordanian issues, as it examines the subject of the emergence of self-awareness in an individual and the travails that accompany it.
The Jordanian authorities had refused to grant Dr. Al-Fazari an entry visa to Jordan four times in recent years without explaining the reasons, even though his requests for an entry visa were related to fundamental invitations he received from various institutions to attend forums and conferences held in the capital, Amman.
Banning books in Muscat
The recent Muscat International Book Fair 2024, which was held from 21 February to 02 March 2024, did not witness any improvement in the level of freedom of publishing. Reliable local sources confirmed that Al-Fazari’s novel “Uncertainty” was also banned from distribution at the fair, which is a permanent landscape that has not changed since 2013 with all of the author’s releases. It is worth noting that the Muscat exhibition is marked by, in all its sessions, a long list banning many publications without clear justifications.
Dr. Al-Fazari is a writer, journalist, and human rights defender. He is known for his reformist human rights activity opposing government policies in Oman. He participated in the widespread protests that took place in his country, Oman, in 2011. Due to his peaceful activity, he was subjected to a lot of pressure and imprisonment more than once. Then his personal documents (passport and ID card) were withdrawn in 2014, and he was banned from traveling for more than eight months. His continued targeting by the Omani authorities was the main reason he was forced to leave the country for the United Kingdom in 2015, where he now resides.
Dr. Al-Fazari is the founder, executive director, and editor-in-chief of the Muwatin Media Network, which is “a media institution based in the British capital, London, that was established on 06 June 2013, and monitors community events and is concerned with citizen issues in the Gulf and the Arab world,” as stated on its website.
Recommendations
At a time when the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) announces its full solidarity with Dr. Mohammed Al-Fazari, it calls on the authorities in Jordan and Oman to immediately stop their systematic campaigns aimed at restricting the public freedoms of writers and citizens, including freedom of the press, freedom of opinion, freedom of expression, and freedom of peaceful assembly. The authorities in both countries must fulfill their obligations that require them to provide and protect civic space and not harass human rights defenders, including writers, journalists, and Internet activists.
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