Two foreign nationals have been convicted in Oman after they disturbed nesting turtles at the Ras Al Hadd Turtle Reserve and shared footage of the incident online, according to the Public Prosecution.

The Court of First Instance in Sur found Vadim and Olena guilty of approaching and touching turtles as the animals moved across the beach. The prosecution said the conduct involved nesting turtles at the protected reserve.

Each defendant was fined Omani rials 100 and handed a one-month prison sentence. The case also involved the use of information technology to publish material considered harmful to public order.

The court merged the penalties and suspended the prison terms. It also ordered that the judgment be published.

Footage posted on Instagram

Investigators found that the defendants climbed onto the backs of large turtles and handled smaller ones, interfering with the animals as they made their way along the shore.

The pair recorded the actions and the footage was later uploaded to the first defendant's Instagram account, the Public Prosecution said.

The Public Prosecution said the case underlined the need to follow laws and regulations intended to safeguard wildlife and nature reserves. It warned against conduct that may injure or disrupt protected species.

It also called on members of the public to use social media responsibly, in a manner that respects public order and the values of society.