MUSCAT, Oman - An Omani court on Tuesday fined a web user for leaking a confidential government document on an Internet forum.

But the court cleared him of charges of publishing an article on alleged corruption in government-controlled telecom company Omantel.

Ali al-Zowaidi was convicted of posting an Omani cabinet directive asking the information ministry to try to stop anti-government criticism aired on a popular radio programme.

Zowaidi was fined 200 rials (520 dollars) and given a suspended jail sentence of one month, excluding time served. -AFP