Oman jails 12 more protesters

Author: 
Saleh Al-Shaibany | Reuters
Publication Date: 
Thu, 2011-07-07 00:40

The usually tranquil Gulf Arab sultanate was hit by months of protests in February, following uprisings that toppled rulers in Egypt and Tunisia.
Omanis, however, focused their demands on higher wages, more jobs and an end to graft rather than a change of government.
Security forces in May broke up a sit-in that had lasted for months in Sohar, an industrial city that was the epicenter of demonstrations in Oman.
Police cleared road blocks and arrested hundreds on charges of vandalism, though most were pardoned.
The court sentenced two of the protesters to three and half years in jail for “making explosives and throwing them at security forces” the Times of Oman said.
Five others were sentenced to two and half years and the rest to one year.
Last month the public prosecutor said 13 protesters were given prison sentences of up to five years for protesting in Sohar. A further 55 people were jailed for up to a year for demonstrating in the eastern town of Jaalan Bani Bu Ali.
Sultan Qaboos bin Said has promised a $2.6 billion spending package and the government has said it will create 50,000 public sector jobs to placate Omanis.
Protests continued despite the promised reforms, with many complaining the changes had not been implemented, especially job creation.
Protests have ebbed since May when police cleared out remaining protest camps in capital Muscat and the southern resort town of Salalah.

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