Oman is an Islamic Country. The laws of Oman reflect the Islamic culture as each and every point in the law made in accordance with Religion, so that it may not contravene and conflict the religious sentiments.
Local traditions, the old prevailing customs, laws and religious practices are given respect at all times. The major thing which is kept under consideration is to ensure that any action do not offend any nationalistic belief.
The New Oman Penal Code, which was signed and accented by the Royal decree No. 7/2018 has came into the effect and following.
Crimes are classified into three types: felonies, misdemeanours, and infractions. The type of crime shall be specified according to the maximum punishment prescribed for it in the law. If a crime is punishable by imprisonment as well as a fine, its type shall be determined based on the imprisonment punishment.
The new penal code specifies new punishments and list of offences. Here is the list of top 5 acts, if you commit in Oman, you would certainly be behind the bars of arrest.
Article 115 of Omani Penal Code says,
“Each of the following shall be punished by imprisonment for a period no less than (3) three months and not exceeding (3) three years:
(a) whoever wilfully incites, broadcasts, or publishes, internally or abroad, false or malicious news, data, or rumours, or broadcasts propaganda, that undermine the stature of the State or weakens the confidence in its financial markets or its economic and financial standing.
(b) whoever possesses, obtains, or transports documents, publications, or recordings containing any of the those stipulated in the preceding Paragraph, if prepared for distribution to, or perusal by, others.
(c) whoever possesses, obtains, or transports any means of printing, recording, or publicity designated – even if temporarily – for printing, recording, or broadcasting any of the foregoing.
The punishment shall be imprisonment for a period no less than (3) three years and not exceeding (10) ten years if the crime is committed during states of emergency, wartime, or disasters.”
This Article of the new Oman Penal Code brought an imprisonment punishment against anyone intentionally disseminating false news, rumors at home or abroad that will undermine the prestige of the state or hurt confidence in financial markets and affect the financial position, for a term of not less than three months and not more than three years.
SELLING EXPIRED FOOD PRODUCTS
Article 380 of Oman Penal Code reads as, “Whoever produces, manufactures, displays, sells, stores, transports, markets, promotes, disposes, or possesses with the intention to sell, spoilt or adulterated products related to the nutrition of humans or animals, shall be punished by imprisonment for a period no less than (6) six months and not exceeding (3) three years, and a fine no less than (1,000) one thousand Rial Omani and not exceeding (10,000) ten thousand Rial Omani.
The punishment shall be doubled if it results in harming the health of a human or it results in the death of an animal.
If it results in the death of a person, the punishment shall be imprisonment for a period no less than (10) ten years and not exceeding (15) fifteen years.
Attempt is punished by the same punishment stipulated in this Article.”
This article strictly prohibits the sale of expired food products. According to the law, individuals or institutions, accused of producing, manufacturing, offering, selling, storing, transferring, marketing, possessing for selling purpose or promoting any expired food products could face an imprisonment for a term of not less than six months and not more than three years. If the action caused a death, the punishment shall be for a term not shorter than ten years and not longer than fifteen years.
ACT OF OVERTHROWING THE RULE OF SULTAN
Article 98 of the Code reads as, “Whoever attempts, through illegitimate means, to change the regime of succession to the throne shall be punished by life imprisonment.
Whoever contributes to establishing an armed group, or assumes a leadership role in it of any kind, shall be punished by the death sentence, if the crime is committed by this group.
Whoever joins this group without participating in its establishment shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of no less than (10) ten years.”
This article prohibits the act by which anyone tries to change the regime of succession to the throne by illegal means.
RELIGIOUS MATTERS
Article 269 of the Omani Penal Code reads as, “Whoever commits any of the followings acts shall be punished by imprisonment for a period no less than (3) three years and not exceeding (10) ten years:
(a) disrespecting or offending the divine verbally, in writing, by drawing, by gesturing, or by using any other means.
(b) offending, distorting, or desecrating the Holy Quran.
(c) offending the religion of Islam or any of its rites, or insulting an Abrahamic religion.
(d) disrespecting or offending any of the prophets verbally, in writing, by drawing, by gesturing,
or by using any other means.
(e) sabotaging or desecrating buildings, or any of their contents, if prepared to conduct religious
rites of Islam or those of other Abrahamic religions.”
This article provides for an imprisonment punishment for not less than three years and not more than ten years against anyone transgressing against the God either by words, writing, drawing, gesture, or by any other means, or against prophets, the Holy Quran, the Islamic religion or other heavenly religions.
OBSTRUCTION OF TRAFFIC
Article 112 of the code reads as, “Whoever deliberately proceeds – using any means – to obstruct public roads in a manner that leads to the prevention of their passage, or makes their traverse not easy, shall be punished by imprisonment for a period no less than a year and not exceeding (3) three years.
The punishment shall be no less than (7) seven years if the perpetrator deliberately prevents the passage of ambulances, their equivalent, or public security vehicles.
In all cases, the punishment shall be no less than (10) ten years, if the act is accompanied by a threat to use weapons.”
This article of the Oman Penal Code explains that if a person who intentionally tries to disrupt the passage of ambulance or public security vehicles will face not less than seven years imprisonment.
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