The constitution of the Sultanate of Oman, formally known as the Basic Statute of the State, is the supreme legislative document in the country. It governs the operation of the institutions of the state and determines the relationship of the states with all individuals while providing structure and clarity on the operation of the government. The Basic Statute of the State was issued by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos through Royal Decree 101/96 in the year 1996 as a gift to the people of Oman. Since then, it was amended twice, in 2011 and 2021. This blog post will outline the status of the legal system before 1996, before outlining the changes made to the Basic Statute of the State throughout the years.
Legal System Pre 1996
Prior to the issuance of the Basic Statute of the State in 1996, Oman had a sophisticated and codified legal system that started from the accession of Sultan Qaboos into power in 1970, including legal instruments that governed the operation of the government, an elected Shura Council, and a robust court system. However, Oman did not have a single comprehensive legal system that clearly determined the duties of the Sultan, the Council of Ministers, and the duties and responsibilities of the state and the citizens.
The Basic Statute of the State of 1996
The Basic Statute of the State was issued as the first Omani constitution by Royal Decree 101/96. This document declared Oman as an independent Arab state, affirmed Islam as the religion of the land, and stipulated that Arabic is the official language of the state. It set the rules for accession through the secret will system, defined the concept of separation of powers within the Omani context, and determined the rules of the Sultan, the duties of the state, and the rights and responsibilities of citizens, among many other constitutional matters.
The First Amendment of the Omani Constitution
Sultan Qaboos amended the Basic Statute of the State only once in the year 2011 as a response to the events of the Arab Spring. The amendments that were made were precise and specific, and they strengthened the powers of the Council of Oman, i.e. the Omani parliament, by enhancing its oversight powers over the legislative process and monitoring government performance.
Modernising the Constitution in 2021
Following his accession in 2020, Sultan Haitham issued a new Basic Statute of the State by Royal Decree 6/2021 which retained an extremely similar structure to the Basic Statute of the State of 1996, but made significant changes to the succession process by establishing a legal framework for the appointment of a crown prince and removing the secret will mechanism that was found in the original Basic Statute of the State.
Conclusion
The Basic Statute of the State marked a major milestone in Oman’s modern history, establishing the foundation of structured and stable governance. Since its establishment in 1996, through the amendments made in 2011, and the modernisation in 2021 it has evolved to meet the demands of the Sultanate of Oman and continues to be an essential component of the country’s development.
You can read the Basic Statute of the State in full in English free of charge on the link below:
