Up to three years in jail for insulting Oman's national anthem
Insulting the national anthem of Oman could now result in a three-year prison sentence under a decree issued by Sultan Haitham . The punishment for failing to respect the anthem Salute to the Sultan has been brought in line with the penalty for insulting the country's flag. Published on Sunday, the decree covers anyone who "desecrates the anthem verbally, in writing, by gesturing, by distorting…
The Sultan of Oman, Haitham, has introduced a decree that could lead to a three-year prison sentence for insulting the national anthem, Salute to the Sultan. This punishment now matches the penalty for desecrating Oman's flag. The decree, published on Sunday, applies to anyone who insults the anthem verbally, in writing, through gestures, or any other act conveying hatred or contempt.
The same penalty, ranging from three months to three years, applies to those who desecrate the flag. No reason was provided for this crackdown. Similar laws have been enacted in other countries, such as France, which passed a law in 2003 for booing the national anthem, and Hong Kong, which introduced prison sentences of up to three years in 2020 for insulting China's anthem.
Oman's Salute to the Sultan was first composed in 1932, revised in 1970 under Sultan Qaboos, and updated again in 2020 following Sultan Haitham's ascension to power.
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