MUSCAT: As many as eight expatriates have been sentenced to jail for 25-days for violating the Supreme Committee decisions and repeatedly offering prayers at a mosque in the country, the Public Prosecution (PP) said on Monday.

According to PP, the incident happened in May this year, when police received a complaint that a group of expats repeatedly attended evening prayers in one of the mosques. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic in the country, all mosques and places of worship have been shut since March.  “Eight people of Asian nationality were arrested while performing evening prayers and legal measures were taken against them,” 

However, the appeal court that pronounced the verdict ruled in favour of a 25-day jail term instead of a decision to deport the expats.  “A final ruling in the case is pending as PP has decided to appeal the ruling in the Supreme Court,” the statement from PP said.