Fines for COVID rule breakers increased in Oman

Muscat: Fines for people and organisations in Oman found violating COVID rules have been greatly increased, as part of measures to prevent people from violating rules brought in to stop the spread of the disease.

As part of these steps, fines for shops and commercial activities which do not follow the required measures announced by the authorities have been doubled to OMR3,000 from OMR1,500. These establishments will also be closed for a month.

The decision to increase existing fines was made by the Royal Oman Police (ROP), in keeping with the regulations of the Supreme Committee to deal with COVID-19.

A penalty of OMR300 can be slapped on people found guilty of any of the following four violations: failure to undergo tests and/or re-tests for COVID-19, non-compliance with the regulations concerning home and institutional quarantine, refusal to wear a tracking bracelet, removing it, destroying it, or failing to return the tracking bracelet to the authorities, and for failing to register in the Tarassud coronavirus monitoring system.

The updated fines were issued on April 19, 2021, under Decision No. 104/2021. The new decision classifies not returning tracking bracelets to the authorities, and failure to sign up on the Tarassud app, as violations.

Unwillingness to register on the Tarassud app has been included as the 10th violation under the new decision. Rules concerning fines for COVID-19 violators were first issued on 21 May, 2020, under Decision No. 151/2020. That decision included eight articles concerning dealing with those found guilty of nine violations of the measures of the Supreme Committee.

The fine for not wearing a tracking bracelet, removing it, or destroying it, was OMR300 under the previous rules as well, while those found breaking the rest of the violations were fined OMR200.

A number of government bodies are tasked with implementing the rules of the Supreme Committee.
These include the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources, Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Consumer Protection Authority, Muscat Municipality, Dhofar Municipality, Sohar Municipality, and any other body with jurisdiction, according to Article One of the Royal Oman Police Decision No. 151/2020.

Article Two states that the ROP and the rest of the authorities keep regular checks on the extent of commitment by people and organisations in the country to the COVID-19 precautions in place.