Three convicted in vote-buying, election influence case

Muscat: Three Omani citizens have been convicted and sentenced to prison terms and fines in a case involving vote buying, election influence and online defamation, the Public Prosecution (PP) said.

The Primary Court of Muscat (Criminal Circle) convicted Abdullah Abdulrahman Mohammed, Yosef Ahmed Shaheen and Tarik Ibrahim Hassan.

Abdullah Abdulrahman Mohammed was found guilty of using information technology to insult another person, an offence punishable under Article 16 of the Law on Combating Cybercrime. He was sentenced to one year in prison and fined OMR1,000. The court suspended the remainder of the prison sentence, requiring him to serve one month in prison.

Yosef Ahmed Shaheen and Tarik Ibrahim Hassan were convicted of vote buying with the intent to influence the outcome of the 10th Shura Council elections. Both were sentenced to one year in prison and fined OMR5,000. The court partially suspended the sentence imposed on Tarik Ibrahim Hassan, who will serve six months in prison and pay a fine of OMR1,000.

The court ordered that the sentences against Yosef Ahmed Shaheen run concurrently, with only the most severe penalty to be served. It also ordered the publication of the court's ruling.

On February 16, 2026, the Muscat Court of Appeal upheld the convictions but suspended the prison sentences for all appellants. On July 7, 2026, the Supreme Court accepted the appeal in form but rejected it on its merits, making the convictions final.

According to the Public Prosecution, investigations found that Abdullah Abdulrahman Mohammed and Yosef Ahmed Shaheen published a video on social media containing insulting remarks about one of the candidates in the 10th Shura Council elections, questioning his eligibility and ability to serve as a council member in a manner that harmed his reputation.

Investigators also uncovered messages exchanged between Yosef Ahmed Shaheen and Tarik Ibrahim Hassan that showed an agreement to buy votes in favour of the second defendant, undermining the integrity of the electoral process and the freedom of voting.

Following the completion of investigations, the suspects were referred to the competent court, which issued the convictions.