Oman's Sultan Haitham changed the State Basic Law to grant citizens and residents living in Oman freedom of expression and opinion.
"Freedom of opinion and expression be in writing or speech and all forms of expression are guaranteed by the Basic Law of the State in accordance with the law and without detriment to the sanctity of private life," state-run Oman News Agency reported on Thursday.
ONA also reported that the Sultan ordered “the freedom to practice religious rites according to recognised customs, is protected, provided it does not violate the public order or contradict morals”.
Sultan Haitham also removed a law that previously allowed the state to monitor private phone conversations, social media or postal correspondence.
“In this regard, the Basic Law of the State states that the freedom of correspondence by post, telegraph, telephone conversations and other means of communication is protected and its confidentiality is guaranteed,” the ONA said.
Sultan Haitham, who took the throne in January last year after the death of Sultan Qaboos, introduced a series of measures to revamp the government and its laws. The new Basic Law, the closest Oman has to a codified constitution, effectively replaces the first, set in 1996.
Sultan Qaboos, who ruled the country for 50 years, is regarded as the founder of modern Oman but Sultan Haitham has already embarked on reforms to reshape the destiny of his people.
Omanis think the latest changes will win investor confidence at a time when Oman needs to revive its ailing economy.
"Without any doubt, freedom of expression will be seen by many foreign investment companies as a way forward. It will place Oman on a higher pedestal of transparency and as a result, investors will now know that the country respects everybody's opinions," said Khalifa Al Maraei, 32, a property investment company owner.
Expatriates working in Oman also expressed their delight.
“The part which I like is the right to practise your religion rites. Oman has a significant expatriate population, including Christian and Hindu faiths,” said Ravi Shankatram, 37, an Indian IT engineer living in Muscat.
“Expatriates now will feel more confident to practise their religions without fearing prejudice. I am not saying we are facing that but now we will be more confident when we go to churches or temples to practise our faiths.”
This week, the Sultan tweaked another state basic law by setting up the role of the crown prince for the first time in the history of Oman. He made his eldest son, Dhi Yazan bin Haitham, heir apparent to his crown.
Dhi Yazan bin Haitham, 30, is currently the minister of culture, sports and youth.
Sultan Haitham last year retired several senior officials, including Cabinet ministers, introduced value added tax, income tax and removal of some state subsidies, in an attempt to cut state spending and boost revenues
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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YEMEN: “The developments we have seen are promising. We really hope that the parties are going to respect the agreed ceasefire. I think that the sense of really having the political will to have a peace process is vital. There is a little bit of hope and the role that the UN has played is very important.”
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1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:28.063 (18 laps)
2. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) 1:28.095 (14)
3. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 1:28.137 (20)
4. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Ferrari) 1:28.732 (15)
5. Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Renault) 1:29.480 (14)
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