English abstract
Freedom of opinion and expression over the Internet are not a by-product of
technical change or development, but a firm basis before this technique exists;
this study has tried to talk about the crime committed because of breaking the
boundaries of this freedom, namely the crimes of insult and slander as
examples. Using a comparative analytical approach, the researcher tried to
analyze the provisions of Omani law relating to the offences of online libel as
examples of breaking the boundaries of freedom of opinion and expression, and
ultimately concluded that the legal and regulatory environment for freedom of
expression over the Internet was clearly provided for, and that the fundamental
challenge in a democratic society was to find a reasonable balance between this
freedom and other interests. Also, the offences of libel and slander are highly
serious if committed online because of their ease and speed of spread and cross
borders, which causes serious damage to the victim and is difficult to remedy.
Finally, this study recommends spreading a culture of legal awareness about
internet use, and individuals and internet pioneers should be aware of laws on
the use of the Internet to protect themselves from criminalization.
