سلطات مأموري الضبط القضائي وفق قانون حماية المستهلك العماني

Abstract EN

2002 Omani Consumer Protection Law was amended by Law (66) of 2014.

The amended law has approved two issues: 1.

Civil protection: through compensating consumer for the harm inflicted due to violation of law 2.

Criminal protection: through the criminalization of consumer rights violation by service providers.

The key aim of consumer protection laws is to strike a balance between rights of consumers and providers from one hand, and to protect weaker party in the contractual relation (the consumer) from the other hand.

As a preventive measure, law has granted judicial officers specific powers to exercise before the occurrence of the violation.

Such powers include: inspection visits to stores to ensure their compliance with laws and regulations.

However a number of conditions have to be met for that inspection, including respecting the rights of stores owners; limiting the inspection to visible goods rather than packed ones expect in suspected cases.

They are entitled to inspect and examine commodities as well as their documents and the provided service to the extent that meets the purpose of the control.

Inspection should be conducted during working hours of the store and doesn't include residences attached to stores.

Judicial officers have also other jurisdictions such as receiving of complaints; collection of all evidences relating to consumer law violation; arresting the violator and drawing a report on the violation.