Oman
The Sultanate of Oman is a Gulf state exhibiting low range performance in the Representation and Participation categories of the Global State of Democracy framework, and mid-range performance in Rights and Rule of Law. Over the last five years, it has experienced no notable changes in levels of performance. Oman’s economy depends on oil, with oil revenue accounting for roughly 23 per cent of GDP. The country is poorer than its Gulf neighbors, with smaller oil resources that are more costly to extract. In the past two decades, Oman has experienced economic difficulties due to reduced oil production and insufficient diversification and its status as a labor importing economy.
Oman escaped direct colonization, but it was a British protectorate from 1891 to 1951. In 1970, the British helped Qaboos bin Said overthrow his traditionalist father in a palace coup. Qaboos ruled Oman for fifty years, and during his life the country became an important facilitator of regional dialogue and was seen as the “Switzerland of the Middle East.” Faced with protests over unemployment during the Arab Spring in 2011, Oman received aid from the GCC, made some changes to its Basic Law, and created new jobs and social benefits for Omani citizens. While elections for the Shura (consultative) Council are regularly held, formal political parties continue to be banned. Sultan Qaboos died in 2020 and he was succeeded by his cousin, Haitham bin Tariq al Said. While Sultan Haitham has named a crown prince, in all other ways he appears to be following the policies set by his predecessor. The Shura Council, already weak, was stripped of some of the democratic accountability won in 2011.
Oman’s society is ethnically and linguistically diverse, including Omanis of East African descent, and there is little religious conflict within the country. Ibadi Islam, a small Islamic sect that is neither Sunni nor Shia, is functionally the state religion. Oman also has a sizeable Sunni population and a smaller Shia population. Against this backdrop, fault lines have instead been primarily determined by socioeconomic grievances. Cycles of contestation revolve around (state-provided) employment, with the state working to assuage the demands of protesters through economic benefits even as it cracked down on them and the media who covered them. This pattern repeated in large protests in 2018-2019, and smaller ones in 2021.
Oman’s government has sought to relieve its unemployment problems through the ‘Omanization’ of higher-skilled migrant jobs. These measures have impacted Oman’s large migrant worker population (40 per cent of the total population are expatriates, overwhelmingly from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Tanzania) who are denied the benefits of citizenship and operate under the kafala system which gives employers nearly complete power over their rights. Positioning itself between tradition and modernization, Oman has cultivated a reputation for being the most progressive of the Gulf countries. However, Oman’s government still closes newspapers critical of the state, arrests protesters, and prohibits speech that is judged to insult the Sultan or harm public order. Women are discriminated against in marriage and family law, and face arrest for even reporting rape or sexual assault.
Looking ahead, Rights will be an area to watch. Oman may face pressure to uphold its relatively progressive regional reputation and advance Gender Equality as neighboring countries slowly lift restrictions on women. With 44 percent of its population being underage, it will be important to watch unemployment, as Oman may face increasing economic challenges as a large contingent of young people enters the job market.
Last Updated: June 2024
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February 2025
New citizenship law expands government powers to revoke nationality
On 2 February, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq ratified a new citizenship law that amends naturalization requirements and expands the government’s power to revoke citizenship. In order to qualify for citizenship, individual applicants must now have resided in Oman for 15 consecutive years, down from 20 years, while the relevant period for the foreign wives of Omani men is now eight years, up from five. The law also makes it more difficult for Omani mothers to pass on citizenship to their children, restricting it to widows or divorcees. Further, broadly drafted provisions allow the government to revoke citizenship for a variety of offences, including ‘verbally or physically offend[ing] the Sultanate of Oman’ and membership of an organisation whose principles or beliefs harm the interests of the Sultanate. Rights groups warned that these provisions could be used by the state to stifle dissent, particularly since the law lacks mechanisms for appeals.
Sources: Qanoon, Gulf Centre for Human Rights, The New Arab, Oman Observer
July 2024
Deadly attack near Shiite Mosque in Muscat claimed by Islamic State
On 15 July, multiple gunmen attacked worshipers near a Shiite Mosque in the Wadi Kabir neighbourhood of Muscat. The attack occurred on the eve of the Shiite Muslim holiday of Ashura. Six people were killed and approximately 28 others were injured, according to the Royal Oman Police. The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack. International media outlets that analysed video footage of the incident reported that the assailants used derogatory terms to refer to Shiites. On 18 July, the Royal Oman Police issued a statement announcing that the three perpetrators were killed. While the authorities did not explicitly link the individuals to IS, they noted that the attackers were "influenced by misguided ideas." Shia Muslims are a minority in Oman, a country known for relatively low rates of registered crime and sectarian violence.
Sources: Royal Oman Police (1), Royal Oman Police (2), The New York Times, The National, Reuters
October 2023
Oman holds legislative elections
Oman conducted general elections on 29 October to elect 90 members to the Majlis Al-Shura Council for its tenth term, spanning 2023 to 2027. There were a total of 843 candidates, including 32 women. The elections saw a record turnout of 65.9 per cent, with more than 753,000 registered voters casting their ballots across the country. The early voting statistics showed a balanced gender participation, with 13.55 per cent male and 10.39 per cent female voters.
The voting process was monitored by Oman's Supreme Committee for Elections to ensure its fairness and transparency. As an absolute monarchy, the elected legislature serves primarily in an advisory capacity. Despite the democratic proceedings, the sultan retains primary power, with political rights and civil liberties remaining limited.
Sources: Government of Oman, Gulf News, Parliamentary Union of Islamic Cooperation, Times of Oman
Oman launches region’s first mobile –app for elections
Oman’s October general elections saw all seats of the Majlis al-Shura, or Omani Consultative Assembly, up for grabs. Voting rights are extended to every Omani citizen above the age of 21, applicable in government elections such as those for the Shura Council and Municipal Council. The elections included the launch of the region’s first mobile app for elections, which contributed to a record voter turnout of 65.9 per cent. It was a significant milestone and featured an audio reading feature and sign language support for the deaf and hard of hearing, along with high-level security measures, serving as an innovative model for other countries aiming to modernize their voting systems.
Sources: Times of Oman, Gulf News, Asharaq Al-Awsat
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