Oman
Foreign Nationals and the Death Penalty
Death Penalty Overview
The Sultanate of Oman continues to uphold
capital punishment as a legal recourse for
several crimes, some of which do not align
with international law's designation of 'most
serious crimes’. For example, in 2015, the
Sultan revised Law 17 of 1999 on
Combatting Drugs and Narcotics, expanding
the death penalty to a range of drug-related
crimes. The broadening of this scope is a
setback in the global trend towards
abolishing capital punishment. In the 2021
Universal Periodic Review (UPR), Oman was
recognised for its intention to ratify the
International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights (ICCPR). However, the country resisted
recommendations that sought to abolish the
death penalty as well as recommendations to
amend existing legislation to protect
fundamental human rights further.
fi
fi
fl
fi
fi
fi
Oman's legal system is in uenced by both
Islamic law and the French administrative
justice system. Since 1970, Oman has been in
a signi cant transition phase, introducing
extensive legal reforms to its criminal justice
system. At the apex of the judicial hierarchy is
the Higher Council, responsible for
overseeing the ef cient functioning of the
Law Courts and their auxiliary bodies.
A criminal court's decision to impose the
death penalty requires unanimous
agreement among its presiding judges. The
execution of a death sentence further
necessitates rati cation by the Sultan.
In 2015, Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed rati ed
amendments to the Combating Narcotics
and Psychotropic Drugs law, marking a
distinct harshening of penalties to include
the death penalty and life imprisonment for
individuals involved in drug traf cking and
smuggling. Other offences leading to capital
punishment include acts such as murder,
terrorism, and kidnapping but also
encompass arson and piracy. Moreover,
those found guilty of leading armed groups
that engage in activities like sabotage,
pillage, or killing, as well as those convicted
of espionage, treason, and even perjury
resulting in an unjust execution, can face the
death penalty.