Rights abuse cases getting ‘top priority’

Fahad Al Mukrashi

MUSCAT: The National Committee for Human Rights has received as many as 200 reports of rights abuses, including cases of human trafficking, in the period between January and May this year, a senior official of the panel has revealed.

The official told Times of Oman, on the condition of anonymity, that the Committee was dealing with the cases directly, in coordination with the concerned government bodies.

The panel held its second meeting recently and appointed Jihad Al Taye as the secretary-general of the Committee, replacing Rasheed Al Huraibi, who now heads the Tender Board, the appointment part of the recent reshuffle of the Cabinet.

The meeting discussed the performance of the Committee, its future plans, as well as education, administrative and technical matters.

The senior official also confirmed that the Committee was making regular visits to the prisons and was keeping tabs on the conditions of the inmates.

Earlier this year, His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Oman’s deputy prime minister for the Council of Ministers, had assured that the rights of all citizens in the country were safe and secure.

Rights secure

“The human rights in the Sultanate are secured by the principles of the Basic Law of the State and national laws and regulations, as also by the Sultanate’s joining a number of international conventions and charters,” Sayyid Fahd had stressed.

He pointed out that the Human Rights Commission had been established to make sure that the rights of the citizens always receive the attention of the state.

Departments instructed The Committee had advised the concerned departments to attend immediately to any issues related to human rights. “The Committee also exchanges opinions with regional and international organisations in this field,” the source said.

Royal Decree No. 124/2008, issued on November 15, 2008, established the National Committee for Human Rights and defined its prerogatives.

The Committee, which comes under the jurisdiction of the State Council (Majlis Al Dawla), is a legal entity with operational independence based in the city of Muscat.


(2011-6-19/timesofoman)