| Location Header: | Oman |
| Legal Status: | Illegal: Islamic Sharia Law is applied[1] Only enforced in cases of "public scandal". |
| Penalty: | Up to 3 years to life imprisonment and fines |
| Gender Identity Expression: | No |
| Recognition Of Relationships: | No recognition of same-sex unions. |
| Adoption: | No |
| Military: | No |
| Discrimination Protections: | None |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Oman face significant challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents.[2] Homosexuality in the Sultanate of Oman is illegal according to ยงยง, 33 and 223 of the penal code and can be punished with a prison sentence of up to three years. This law is applicable to both men and women. In Oman, it is said that cases only get to court if "public scandal" is involved.[1]
In September 2013, it was announced that all Gulf Cooperative Countries had agreed to discuss a proposal to devise a "gay test" intended to single out gay foreigners and prevent them from entering any of the countries.[3] [4] However, it has been suggested that concern for hosting 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and fears for controversy in a case that football fans would have been screened, made officials backtrack the plans and insist that it was a mere proposal.[5]
Like in other Gulf countries, advocacy for LGBT rights in Oman is a criminal act; activists use social media with an alias to protect their identities with very rare exceptions.