16 October 2009
Revealing the detention and trial of the group for the first time on Wednesday, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) restated its zero tolerance towards those involved in trading in humans. The authorities also announced the launch of a new helpline and a website where citizens and expatriates can lodge complaints related to the illegal practice.
“Stringent measures are being taken to curb the phenomenon,” Inspector-general of Police and Customs Lieutenant-general Malick bin Suleiman Al Ma’amari told reporters after a meeting of the high-powered National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking (NCCHT) which ratified the country’s first Anti-trafficking Law.
“There is a need to create awareness among the public about this menace,” Ma’amari said. Describing prostitution as “one of the worst crimes”, he spoke about the need for a system to address the issue.
“But when some countries legalise it, things become difficult. But we are going all out to fight it,” he said.
The gang of 13 arrested by ROP consisted of Omanis and Syrians, including a woman, who brought 13 women of different Arab nationalities to Oman where they were kept for brief periods before being sent to Bahrain for prostitution. They brought the women here as their wives with fake marriage certificates.
After their eventual capture by ROP, the 13 were tried by a court which sentenced 11 of them to seven years in jail and also slapped a fine of RO10,000. The two others were acquitted for their cooperation with police during investigation. The Syrians will be sent back home after serving their terms.
The women victims were freed and provided with help by the authorities including accommodation and medical care before they were deported to their home countries at government expense, Ma’amari said.
“The trial and the sentence is an evidence of the determination of the Sultanate to combat trafficking in persons in all forms after the enactment of the Anti-trafficking Law,” he added.
Two other cases, involving different gangs, were under trial, he said, and disclosed the detention of a third group this week. “Last night (Tuesday) a large number of suspected groups were arrested and will be brought to court,” Ma’amari said without giving details.
He said the new NCCHT website and helpline (Tel. No. 1444) were meant to encourage the public to report incidences of trafficking in humans in the Sultanate. He added citizens and expatriates could call the helpline or fill a form provided on the website – http://www.ncchtoman.gov.om
“Informers can tip-off officials and their identity will be kept confidential,” the police chief said, adding that making labourers work for more than eight hours a day, prostitution and selling human organs, all fell under trafficking as per Oman’s anti-trafficking law. He said no cases related to organ selling had been reported so far in the country.
Ma’amari said ROP had been receiving complaints from employees of various companies about violation of rights by employers. The courts were currently examining the cases, he added.
He pointed out that human trafficking was not only a violation of the Anti-trafficking Law, but also of the Islamic Sharia law, the Basic Statute of the State, the Omani Penal Law and Labour Law and went against the practices and traditions of the Omani society, as well as agreements the government had signed with international organisations.
