MUSCAT: The Official Gazette on Sunday published details of Royal Decree 99/2026 amending certain provisions of the Law of the State Flag, Emblem, and National Anthem.
Article 16 of the Royal Decree states anyone who intentionally insults the flag or emblem, whether by lowering it, damaging it, or by any other act that expresses hatred or contempt, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than three months and not more than 3 years.
The same penalty applies in the case of intentionally insulting the national anthem whether verbally, in writing, by gesture, by distortion, or by any other act that expresses hatred or contempt to the national anthem.
The following lines should be added to a final paragraph of Article (14) of the Law on the State Flag, Emblem, and National Anthem, as follows: “The national anthem may be played in other circumstances, places and on occasions as specified by the competent authority following the approval of the Council of Ministers.”
Regarding the official specifications and dimensions of the national flag set forth in the amendments, the national flag should have rectangular shape and it should consist of a vertical flagpole and three horizontal flagpoles.
The flag is composed of the following colours: white at the top, red in the middle and green at the bottom.
The materials used in the flag are specified by the relevant authority.
