Monday 16 / March / 2026
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman marked on Monday the Arab Human Rights Day, which falls on 16th of March every year, by organising a seminar titled "Protecting Human Rights in the Digital Space and Artificial Intelligence" at the Diplomatic Club in Muscat.
The event saw the participation of several officials, specialists, and representatives from government, private, and civil society institutions.
The occasion was held under the auspices of Dr. Yahya Nasser Al Khusaibi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs.
Saleh Yahya Al Maskari, Head of the Global Affairs Department at the Foreign Ministry, explained in his speech during the event that the digital space and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have today become an extension of daily human life. It is a space where individuals exercise their right to expression, communication, and knowledge exchange, and it has evolved into a vast arena for providing services, education, and employment.
He added that it is crucial to emphasise that human rights do not stop at physical limits but extend to the digital space. With this development, practices and challenges affecting these rights have emerged—such as the hacking of devices and systems, and the misuse of personal data—which necessitates strengthening the legal and regulatory frameworks that ensure the protection of individuals and their data.
He affirmed that the Foreign Ministry undertakes an important role in supporting and enhancing international efforts aimed at protecting human rights in the digital space. This is achieved through interacting with international mechanisms concerned with these rights, enhancing international cooperation and exchanging expertise, supporting international initiatives related to digital ethics, and monitoring the rapid international developments in this field. This helps decision-makers and specialised institutions keep pace with these transformations and formulate appropriate policies, thereby enhancing the country's ability to deal with new digital challenges within a framework of international cooperation and respect for shared human values.
Dr. Rashid Hamad Al Balushi, Chairman of Oman Human Rights Commission (OHRC), stated that celebrating this occasion affirms the importance of keeping pace with rapid digital transformations. He stressed the need to ensure that modern technologies, foremost among them AI, serve as effective tools to serve humanity and enhance its well-being without compromising privacy or violating human dignity.
He explained that the Commission seeks to employ AI technologies to facilitate individuals' access to its services and enhance communication with the community. This contributes to developing human rights work, improving the efficiency of complaint processing, and monitoring human rights indicators.
He noted that the Commission is working to keep abreast of rapid technological changes and exchange expertise with regional and international human rights institutions, thereby bolstering efforts to protect digital rights and consolidating societal awareness that human rights protected in reality also extend to the digital space.
The event also included the announcement of the Oman Human Rights Commission's project for digital transformation and enhancing the beneficiary experience through AI technologies. This project aims to develop smart communication channels with beneficiaries, provide services and consultations, receive reports, and analyse data, thereby contributing to enhancing the efficiency of human rights work.
