The Legal and Legislative Committee of the Shura Council convened today (Tuesday) at the council headquarters to deliberate on the Anti-Human Trafficking Law draft referred by the government as part of its legislative cycle under the Oman Council Law.

The meeting saw extensive discussions among the committee members regarding the provisions and articles of the proposed law, including definitions and commonly used terms. Members debated various legal formulations and the rationale underpinning them.
The committee also proposed amendments to several articles of the draft law, examining their alignment with international conventions to which Oman is a party. Additionally, the discussion included a comparative analysis of the draft law against the existing legislation and similar laws in other countries.
The draft law aims to update the current Anti-Human Trafficking Law to ensure better integration with existing legislation, particularly the Penal Code, and to meet the requirements of international agreements. This comes in response to practical challenges and gaps identified during the enforcement of the existing law, necessitating legislative intervention to align with regional and international developments. The revisions also focus on enhancing protections for victims and streamlining judicial processes for law enforcement agencies.
The proposal reaffirms Oman’s commitment to human rights and its pursuit of justice for all segments of society. Oman was among the first countries to enact specific legislation against human trafficking, issuing the initial law by royal decree in 2008.
According to Article 47 of the Oman Council Law, draft laws prepared by the government are submitted to the Oman Council for approval or amendment before being presented to His Majesty the Sultan for ratification and issuance.
The meeting, presided over by H.E. Dr. Ahmed Ali Al-Saadi, Chairman of the Legal and Legislative Committee, took place as part of the committee’s fifth session during the second annual sitting (2024–2025) of the council’s 10th term (2023–2027).