How an 18-year-old Catalan was jailed in Oman and sentenced to 25 years

Fàtima Ofkir Reyes was arrested in possession of drugs three years ago, but her lawyers are trying to get her back home

Fátima Ofkir Reyes, a 21-year old Catalan jailed in Oman
Fátima Ofkir Reyes, a 21-year old Catalan jailed in Oman / freefatima.com

ACN | Barcelona

December 3, 2020 07:35 PM

In the summer of 2017, Rosario Reyes received a call from her 18-year old daughter, Fatima Ofkir. She was in a hotel room in Oman, where she had secretly traveled only to find herself entangled in a drug trafficking scheme. Ofkir told her mum she regretted everything and promised to return the coming day. 

But police officers arrested Ofkir, raided her room, and found 7 kg of morphine. She was tried for drug trafficking and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Three years later, Reyes still has not seen her daughter and is only allowed to speak with her for a minute or two every two weeks.

"She has severe depression and I’m afraid of what she can do," said Reyes.

According to the mother, prison authorities force Ofkir to wear a burqa and pray five times every day, and there are no medical professionals to treat her depression.