Saturday 20 / April / 2024
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Muscat: Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Zadjali, President of the Oman Lawyers’ Association and a member of the Majlis Al Shura, talked about the turning point in the Sultanate’s legal sector.
“The issuance of the Basic Statute of the State in 1996 was a signal that gave rise to the Sultanate’s laws and saw the beginning of the establishment of laws, one after the other — whether those were new laws relating to the organisation of specific affairs in Oman, or the amendment of already-existing laws,” said Al Zadjali to the Times of Oman.
“This statute also became the new ultimate point of reference for judges. With regard to the law and the establishment by the state of institutions, especially Majlis Oman, this supreme and unique renaissance was further strengthened by the issuance of Royal Decree 99/2011, which resulted in amendments to the Basic Statute of the State in 2011,” he said.
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“Through these amendments, both branches of the Council of Oman — the State Council and the Majlis Al Shura — were granted more legislative and oversight competencies to serve the country and the nation, getting the legal authority to study, adopt or amend the draft laws referred by the government. This was a major turning point in Oman’s legal journey.”
He added that His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said took an interest in the legal sector since the day he took over the throne in Oman, as it is one of the basic pillars of the development march.
On Renaissance Day, Al Zadjali, who is also the Chairman of Mohammed Ibrahim Law firm, shared how he learned about the His Majesty the Sultan’s achievements.
“On Renaissance Day, July 23, 1970, I was a year-and-a-half old,” he said. “I heard about His Majesty’s achievements from my parents when I was growing up,” said Al Zadjali
“My parents told me that all Omanis living outside and inside the Sultanate were very happy about him becoming the Sultan, and those living abroad started to come back to participate in developing the country,” recalled Al Zadjali.
“I was born on March 12, 1969, in the city of Sohar, and my elementary and secondary education took place at schools in the wilayat of Sohar,” he shared.
“Following this, I started work in the military sector. During my time in the military I continued my studies, obtaining a Bachelor’s degree from Alexandria, before undertaking a Master’s degree in the field of criminal law in Cairo, Egypt. Following this I continued with a PhD in the same city, also obtaining it in the field of criminal law.”
Al Zadjali is keeping a very close eye on the legal developments and changes in the Sultanate, as he is first of all, a legal practitioner with a background in criminal law.
“Since 2006, I have been practising law from an independent office, the Mohammed Ibrahim Law Firm, which I established myself at the beginning of my career in law,” he explained.
“In the year 2014, I became the President of the Omani Lawyers’ Association and remain so until today,” he added.
“Regarding my experience at the Majlis Al Shura, I started in 2015 as a member of the Majlis Al Shura, as a representative of the wilayat of Sohar.”
