Sunday 19 / April / 2026
Muscat: In a legislative and human rights move of profound significance—reflecting the highest political will to enhance Oman’s human rights system and align it with international standards—Royal Decree No. 47/2026 was issued to restructure the Oman Human Rights Commission (OHRC).
The decree represents a comprehensive restructuring and the foundation of a new phase characterised by broader independence, greater transparency and advanced oversight and field competencies.
It positions Oman among nations that adopt robust, independent national mechanisms closely aligned with the Paris Principles governing national human rights institutions.
Among the most transformative changes introduced by the new statute is the absolute legal guarantee of the Commission’s independence—the most critical requirement for the success of any human rights body worldwide. Article 11 explicitly stipulates that the Commission shall enjoy “full independence in the exercise of its human rights-related activities,” while providing objective immunity that prevents interference in its work or the prosecution of its members for opinions they express.
Article 9 grants Commission members the exclusive right to elect the Chairman and Deputy Chairman from among themselves at their first meeting, with the stipulation that both be drawn from outside government administrative units.
This direction is decisively reinforced by Article 18, which allows representatives of government entities to participate in Commission meetings but without voting rights.
Regarding the Commission’s structural composition, Article 1 establishes a membership of fourteen individuals, with balance ensured by limiting government representatives to no more than four. The selection process is to be characterised by transparency, pluralism, diversity and competition among candidates.
The Omani legislator did not overlook the importance of involving all segments of society. The same article mandates that the composition include “appropriate representation of women,” thereby strengthening the presence of Omani women in human rights decision-making and national policy direction.
Article 3 sets precise professional requirements to guarantee member competence, including a minimum age of thirty years, possession of a university degree or equivalent, and no fewer than eight years of practical experience in fields relevant to human rights—ensuring that the Commission serves as a national, specialised, and professional centre of expertise. The Commission has been granted the authority to conduct both announced and unannounced field visits to prisons, places of detention, health institutions and labour congregations to monitor human rights conditions. Additionally, the Commission is tasked with receiving and studying complaints, monitoring any human rights violations or abuses in the Sultanate of Oman and working to assist in their resolution.
Article 16 charges the Commission with monitoring observations and criticisms raised by foreign governments, international organisations and media outlets, coordinating with relevant authorities to verify them, and responding systematically. The Commission also plays a pivotal advisory role to the government in preparing international reports and recommending the ratification of or accession to international conventions and covenants to which Oman has not yet acceded—thereby contributing to the continuous updating of Omani legislation and its alignment with global human rights developments.
Article 20 establishes a clear legal obligation for all state administrative units to facilitate the Commission’s work and promptly provide any requested data or information related to its competencies. Article 21 requires the Commission to prepare a comprehensive and detailed annual report on its efforts, activities and recommendations, to be submitted directly to His Majesty the Sultan, with copies forwarded to the Council of Ministers, the State Council and the Shura Council.
With the new statute, the OHRC is now positioned to attain the highest international classification—‘A status’—from the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions. -ONA
