LGBT rights in Oman

LGBT rights in Oman Oman

Same-sex sexual activity legal? Illegal[1]
Penalty:
Up to 3 years
Gender identity/expression
Family rights

Homosexuality in the Sultanate of Oman is illegal according to §§ 33 and 223 of the penal code and can be punished with a jail sentence of up to 3 years. In Oman it is said that cases only get to court if "public scandal" is involved.[1]

Issues

In 2013, an article in Omani newspaper, "The Week" (an English language weekly), suggested that Oman was more tolerant about people's sexuality than other Gulf states, even though homosexuality remains illegal there. The article traced the story of a young gay man in the country under the headline, "The Outsiders". In response the government of Oman intervened to suspend publication of the newspaper. Furthermore, the article was denounced across online social networks in Oman and by the country's journalists' association. A member of the influential Shura Council, Tawfiq al-Lawati, tweeted that the article was advocating homosexuality and suggested Oman was a safe haven for gays. He called for the information ministry to take action against the paper for breaking the country's press code. Some Omanis countered that the article was simply documenting a truth about the country and it was the job of the press to reflect reality. The paper was subsequently forced to apologise with an entire front page article. The extravagance of the apology shows just how controversial it is to broach the issue of homosexuality with any sympathy in Oman.[2]

As in all Gulf states, Oman does have an underground gay scene. It is widely seen as more tolerant than many of its neighbours as long as activities remain discreet.[3]

Summary table

Same-sex sexual activity legal (Penalty: Fines and up to 3 years imprisonment; not enforced except when dealing with "public scandal")
Equal age of consent
Anti-discrimination laws in employment only
Anti-discrimination laws in the provision of goods and services
Anti-discrimination laws in all other areas (incl. indirect discrimination, hate speech)
Same-sex marriages
Recognition of same-sex couples
Step-child adoption by same-sex couples
Joint adoption by same-sex couples
Gays and lesbians allowed to serve openly in the military
Right to change legal gender
Access to IVF for lesbians
Commercial surrogacy for gay male couples
MSMs allowed to donate blood

References


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, September 21, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.