A court in Oman has delivered a decisive verdict against 59 expatriate workers, sentencing them to imprisonment and subsequent deportation from the Sultanate for their involvement in a violent protest on Christmas Day 2025. The ruling, announced by Oman’s Public Prosecution Authority on January 10th, 2026, concludes a case that has drawn significant attention to labor relations and public order in the Gulf nation.
The incident unfolded on the evening of December 25th in the Sa’al area of Wilayat Bidbid, where Royal Oman Police responded to reports of mass gatherings and property destruction near a company-owned residential complex. Upon arrival, law enforcement discovered a substantial group of workers engaged in acts of vandalism against company facilities and vehicles, including the damaging of transportation buses, which severely disrupted operations.
Despite direct orders from police to disperse and cease destructive activities, the workers refused to comply, leading to their immediate arrest and subsequent interrogation. Following comprehensive investigations, prosecutors charged the individuals with multiple criminal offenses under Omani law.
The Court of First Instance handed down convictions on four distinct charges: incitement to gather (carrying a 3-month sentence), participation in a public gathering of ten or more persons that could disrupt security (6-month sentence), damaging movable and immovable property (1-year sentence), and using information technology to produce and disseminate material harmful to public order (1-year sentence).
In addition to cumulative prison terms, the court mandated the permanent deportation of all convicted individuals from Oman and ordered the confiscation of mobile phones used in committing cyber offenses. Notably, twenty-three other defendants involved in the same incident were acquitted of all charges, suggesting careful judicial consideration of individual participation levels.
This case highlights Oman’s stringent approach to maintaining public order while simultaneously raising questions about labor conditions for foreign workers in the region. The timing of the incident on Christmas Day suggests possible cultural or religious dimensions to the protest, though official statements focused exclusively on the legal violations rather than underlying causes.