Activists Pardoned

Dhofari Gucci has mixed feelings. It's great news about the release of the activists/idiots who spent a few months behind bars for illegal gathering and lese majesty (you need to distinguish between activists/idiots because some distinguished activists are in prison along with a group of idiots who insulted the wrong person online for no particular reason). Although I'm happy about the royal pardon by His Majesty two days ago, I'm unhappy about the fact that royal pardon is not justice. What is justice? I wasn't in favor of the arrests in the first place (and this is my personal conviction) and the appeals failed, so is a royal pardon the answer?

 

Hundreds of prisoners are released every year on 'royal pardon' during Eids and on National Day usually. We don't know who they are or what their crimes were. Does this speak well for Oman's justice system?

 

The activists in prison broke the law but is the law relevant? Some new laws were developed and announced last year days before the arrests were made (dozens of bloggers, activists, poets, etc). Defining freedom of speech and the line between hate speech/breaking the law/freedom of speech is blurry.

 

I know my thoughts are all over the place, but there is something bothering me about this whole affair. If you can pinpoint it and articulate in a nice neat sentence, post it in the comments.

 

In all cases, congratulations to all those released. Freedom is fragile.