FAQs

The United Nations aims to maintain the international peace and security through the adoption of resolutions, issued by the UN Security Council or its sanctions committees, obliging member states to implement sanctions that deny the ability of terrorists and terrorist organizations to dispose of their financial assets and prevent the provision of support for activities and programs for the proliferation of WMD and limit the movement of payments and capital linked to terrorism and the activities of the proliferation of WMD. The decisions include but not limited to:

A-  Decisions on terrorism and its financing, including:

·        The UNSCRs No. 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and all their subsequent resolutions.

·        The UNSCR No. 1373 (2001).

B-   Decisions on financing of proliferation of WMD, including:

·        The UNSCR No. 1718 (2006) and its the subsequent resolutions.

·        The UNSCR No. 2231 (2015).

The term ‘Targeted Financial Sanctions’ refers to sanctions that are intended to have a specific, strategic focus on certain individuals, entities, groups, undertakings and institutions.

The term means both asset freezing and prevention of funds or other assets from being made available directly or indirectly for the benefit of designated persons, entities, groups, or institutions who are sanctioned. There are two main types of financial sanctions, namely:

1. Asset Freezing:  it is the temporary prohibition of any transfer, conversion, disposition, alteration, use, dealing with or movement of funds or economic resources that would result in a change in their volume, amount, location, ownership, possession, nature or destination or that would in any way enable the use of such funds or economic resources for any purpose.

2. Prohibition of making funds available which refers: prohibiting making funds or economic resources available or provide financial or other related services, directly or indirectly, wholly or jointly, to or for the benefit of the designated person, group or entity.

Any type of assets or property regardless of its value, nature, or the way it is acquired, whether electronic or digital, whether inside or outside the Sultanate of Oman, including any profits or interests on such property that are due or has been fully or partially distributed. This includes local and foreign currencies, financial and commercial instruments, real-estate, immovable or movable, tangible or intangible, and corporeal or incorporeal assets and all the rights or interests vested therein, deeds and documents evidencing all the above, including bank credits, deposits, postal drafts, bank drafts, and letters of credit. This includes anything that the National Committee for Combating Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing considers as funds for the purposes of the AML/CFT Law No. (30/2016). Following are examples of these funds:

A-  All types of financial commitments such as: debts, and debt obligations, bank credits, deposits, postal drafts, bank drafts, and letters of credit, cheques, claims on money, drafts, money orders, bearer instruments.

B-   Cash in all currencies, including virtual and electronic currency and other internet-based payment instruments.

C-   Funds in all currencies, including deposits with financial institutions or other entities and balances on accounts, including but not limited to:

(1) fixed or term deposit accounts.

(2) balances on share trading accounts with banks, brokerage firms or other investment trading accounts.

D-  Debts and debt obligations, including trade debts, other accounts receivable, notes receivable, and other claims of money on others.

E-   Letters of credit, bills of lading, bills of sale; notes receivable and other documents evidencing an interest in funds or financial resources and any other instruments of export-financing.

F-    Equity and other financial interests in a sole trader or partnership.

G-  Insurance and reinsurance.

H-  Shares in the business of an individual trader or a partnership: publicly and privately traded securities and debt instruments, including stocks and shares, certificates representing securities, and derivatives contracts.

I-      Interest, dividends, or other income on or value accruing from or generated by assets. 

J-      Real Estate.

They refer to assets of any kind, whether tangible or intangible, movable or immovable, actual or potential, which may be used to obtain funds, goods or services, including but not limited to:

A-Equipment, furniture, fittings and fixtures.

B-Any material of a fixed nature such as vessels, aircrafts and motor vehicles.

C-Inventories of goods. 

D-Arts, jewelry and gold.

E-Goods including oil, refined products, modular refineries and related material including chemicals, lubricants, minerals or timber or other natural resources and commodities.

F-Arms and related materials, raw materials and components that can be used to manufacture improvised explosive devices and unconventional weapons. 

G-Patents, trademarks, copyrights and other forms of intellectual property.

H-Internet hosting and related services.

In accordance with the NCTC decision, the list includes two types of lists, as follows:

A- The Local List, in which names of persons (individuals/ entities) are included and identified by a decision of the TFS Committee of the NCTC, based on the procedures referred to in the NCTC decision No. (1/2022) and the following listing criteria:

ü In case there are sufficient grounds to believe that a person has committed or is attempting to commit a terrorist act, or is participating in or facilitating its commission, or any other person doing any such act on behalf or at the direction of the said person.

ü Any entity about which there are sufficient grounds to believe that it is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by a person listed pursuant to the aforementioned paragraph.

B- The UN list; in which names of persons (individuals/ entities) are included according to a decision issued by the UN Security Council or one of its relevant committees, in accordance with the procedures referred to in UNSCRs related to the implementation of targeted financial sanctions aimed at preventing and disrupting terrorism and the financing of terrorism, and those related to the prevention, suppression and disruption of proliferation of WMD and its financing, which are (UNSCRs No: 1267, 1373, 1452, 2178, 2253, 2255, 1540, 1718, 1874, 2087, 2094, 2231, 2270, 2321, 2356, 2462, 1988) and all their subsequent relevant resolutions, as well as the listing criteria referred to in the UNSCRs No. (1267, 1718, 1988, 1989, 2231), and all their subsequent relevant resolutions except for UNSCR No. (1373).

It is under the umbrella of NCTC, in the Sultanate of Oman, and is responsible for taking decisions with regard to listing and delisting from the Local List.

The Sultanate of Oman, by virtue of its membership in the UN, is committed to implement the UNSCRs related to the sanctions’ regimes referred earlier, by setting the procedures governing the application of freezing measures in accordance with the UNSCRs, pursuant to the following:

A-The Law on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism issued by the Royal Decree No. (30/2016).

B- NCTC Decision No. (1/2022) on the issuance of procedures for implementing UNSCRs issued pursuant to Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter on preventing and suppressing terrorism and its financing, and the prevention, suppression and disruption of proliferation of WMD and its financing.

The National Counter-Terrorism Committee is the authority responsible for ensuring the implementation of Targeted Financial Sanctions in the Sultanate of Oman.

All persons (natural and legal) who are present within the territory of the Sultanate of Oman or who are present outside the territory of the Sultanate of Oman and hold Omani nationality, are obliged to freeze funds and economic resources owned by individuals and entities included in the UN / Local terrorist lists.

a) Immediate freezing, without delay and without prior notice - for the persons referred to below - and within 24 hours, of all funds and economic resources belonging to the persons mentioned below:

1. Persons designated in the UN List by the UN Security Council or its relevant sanctions committees, or designated in the Local List by the Targeted Financial Sanctions Committee of the NCTC.

2. Persons acting on behalf of or at the direction of the individuals designated in the UN/Local List.

3. Persons under the management or control of the individuals designated in the UN / Local List, directly or indirectly.

b) Not providing or making funds or economic resources available or providing financial or other related services, directly or indirectly, in full or in partnership, to or for the benefit of persons whose funds have been frozen in accordance with Paragraph (1) above, or for their benefit.

c) Inform the NCTC within 24 hours of taking the freezing measures and the actions taken regarding the funds or economic resources that have been frozen, including any attempts to carry out transactions, and the details of the nature and quantity of the funds or economic resources that have been frozen, and any other information that facilitates compliance with Resolution No. (1/2022) of the NCTC.

The list of persons designated in the UN / Local List can be viewed on the following websites:

a) The United Nations website, which includes the names of persons (individuals / entities) designated in the unified targeted financial sanctions lists of the Security Council, at the link:

https://www.un.org/sc/suborg/en/sanctions/un-sc-consolidated-list

b) The press releases page of the United Nations website, which shows the changes that occur in the unified targeted financial sanctions lists of the Security Council, and in which the names of the new targeted persons (individuals / entities) are included, at the link: (https://www.un.org/press/en).

c) The Official Gazette web page of the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs website through the link (https://www.mjla.gov.om/legislation/gazettes/), as well as the website of the NCTC; both include lists of names of persons (individuals / entities) designated by the Targeted Financial Sanctions Committee. You can find NCTC website at: (https://nctc.gov.om/TargetedFinancialSanctions/LocalList).

Financial institutions, non-financial businesses and professions, non-profit associations and bodies must follow up periodically and continuously on the UN Lists, the Local List, and the amendments and updates that are made to them through the websites referred to in Question (12). The NCTC also circulates the UN/Local Lists to the financial institutions, non-financial businesses and professions, and regulatory authorities through NCTC address e-mail: (info@nctc.gov.om).

Financial institutions, non-financial businesses and professions, non-profit associations and bodies must register their official e-mail in the notification system found on the website of the NCTC: (https://nctc.gov.om/NotificationSystem/Register) to receive notifications from NCTC regarding designations, amendments and updates to the UN Lists and the Local List, and the amendments and updates made to them.

All funds and economic resources - mentioned in Questions 4 and 5 should be frozen whether they are - owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, fully or jointly by the persons referred to in Question (9/A), in addition to any funds and economic resources arising or obtained or resulted from these funds or economic resources.

Once a freezing measures are taken, the person implementing the measures must fill out and send the reporting form about confirmed or potential matches with the UK/Local sanctions lists to the National Counter-Terrorism Committee. The reporting form can be obtained at:

a. Appendix (B) of the “Guideline to the implementation of Targeted Financial Sanctions in compliance with the relevant UNSCRs on the Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism and the Financing of Terrorism and on the Prevention, Suppression, Disruption and the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and their financing pursuant to Decision No. (01/2022) of the National Counter-Terrorism Committee”.

b. The NCTC’s website, at: https://nctc.gov.om.

Freezing measures have no time limit, meaning that the funds and/or economic resources must remain frozen until the person, group or entity is removed from the UN/Local List.

Yes. Any interests, profits, or returns due to their accounts may be credited, or payments due to their frozen accounts may be made under (contracts, agreements, or commitments) that arose and were concluded prior to the date on which those accounts became subject to freezing under the relevant Security Council resolutions. The National Counter-Terrorism Committee must be notified immediately upon adding any interest, profits or other returns due to the accounts or making payments due on the accounts. With the exception of payments due under (contracts, agreements, or commitments) on their accounts frozen according to Resolution no. (1373) and continued by Resolution no. (2231), it is not enough to inform the NCTC, but an explicit approval must be obtained from NCTC or from the Targeted Financial Sanctions Committee before the payments become due, as such interest, dividends or payments must be subject to the immediate freeze.

Any person is exempt from criminal, civil or administrative liability for any loss or claim resulting from freezing funds or economic resources or refusing to make them available or provide financial services thereto, provided that such action is carried out in good faith and for the purpose of complying with the freezing measures and the denying funds to terrorists, terrorist financing or the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, in compliance with Decision No. (01/2022) of the NCTC.

a. Whoever fails to implement the freezing measures or the prohibition to make funds available as stated in Articles (3) and (4) of the NCTC Decision No. (01/2022), shall be punishable with an administrative fine of no less than OMR (10,000) and no more than the equivalent value of frozen assets.

b. Whoever violates any other provisions of the National Counter-Terrorism Committee regulation shall be punishable with an administrative fine of no less than OMR (5,000) and no more than OMR (20,000).

In addition to the three obligations mentioned in Question No. (10) earlier, Financial Institutions, Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs), Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs), and Non-Profit Associations and Entities (NPOs) should be obliged to:

a.      Regular and continuous follow-up on the changes and updates made to the UN / Local Lists.

b.     Examining their internal data of the customers and real beneficiaries, business relationships and transactions in comparison to the lists of individuals in the UN / Local lists on a regular basis and immediately when any changes are made on those lists.

c.      Informing NCTC as soon as they become aware of and suspicious that one of their current or previous customers, or any individual they had dealt with, are dealing with, in any way whatsoever, or attempted to deal with them, is a person included in the list or that the funds or economic resources are subjected to freezing in accordance with NCTC’s decision No. (1/2022).

d.     Submitting reports to and providing the NCTC with any available information on the status of funds and economic resources belonging to listed persons, as well as any action taken regarding them, nature and amount of frozen funds or economic resources, any other relevant information that can facilitate the compliance of the procedures stipulated in NCTC’s decision No. (1/20220).

e.      Freezing immediately any subsequent payments made to the frozen account, and from the account when allowed exceptionally:

1. Payments under contract, agreements or obligations made before the date of freezing.

2. Interests or fees due on the account.

f.       Setting up controls and procedures and implementing measures for examining customers’ databases against those included in the list. They should ensure that these measures allow the detection of the real customers and beneficiaries who are subject to the TFS. The said measures should include policies, regulations and internal controls that ensure:

1.     Implementing high quality standards in the recruitment of employees.

2.     Continuous training of employees, educating them on all aspects and requirements of combating the financing of terrorism and its new technologies, which will ensure the discovery of transactions and activities related to money laundering and terrorism financing and what kind of actions should be taken.

3.     Putting into place sufficient audit system to check compliance with policies, procedures, regulations and internal audit as well as ensuring that such measures are effective and adhering to the provisions of the Law on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism No. (30/2016).

4.     Checking the backgrounds and purposes of all complex, large, unusual, and non-typical transaction patterns that have no clear legitimate economic purpose.

5.     Examining all transactions and business relationships and taking enhanced due diligence measures in proportion to the degree of risk of persons from countries which do not adequately implement regulations of anti-money laundering and countering terrorism financing.

6.     Developing policies and procedures to identify, assess and manage the risks of money laundering and terrorism financing arising from modern technologies and work practices, and modern methods of services provision, or those resulting from the use of new or under development techniques. In all cases, a risk assessment must be conducted before launching new products or professional practices, or before using new or under development technologies.

7.     Applying measures related to high-risk countries determined by the National Committee for Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism in accordance with clause (k) of Article (13) of the Law on Combating Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing No. (30/2016).

A- Providing financial institutions, non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs), and non-profit associations and entities (NPOs), with guidance and instructions related to their requirements and the implementation of the provisions of the NCTC Decision No. (1/2022), and notifying them of any listing decisions, in coordination with the NCTC.

b- Ensuring that there are effective internal controls and procedures in the financial institutions and non-financial businesses and professions, and that such controls and procedures are effectively applied to ensure full compliance with the requirements and provisions of the NCTC Decision No. (1/2022).

C- Ensuring that financial institutions and non-financial businesses and professions have measures and systems in place to check and compare customer databases against those included in the List, and that such measures and systems are applied effectively and are capable of detecting customers and real beneficiaries who are subject to targeted financial sanctions.

d- Determining if any cases were detected by a financial institution or a non-financial business and profession where the real customer or beneficiary a listed person or entity, and how many cases were detected.

e- Determining if any targeted funds or properties have been detected and frozen by a financial institution or a non-financial business and profession, and whether or not relevant reports have been submitted to the NCTC as stipulated in the NCTC Decision No. (1/2022).

f- Determining whether financial institutions and non-financial businesses and professions have effective policies and procedures that prevent employees and officials from informing the customer, beneficial owner, or any third party in advance that freezing measures will be implemented against them.

g- Submitting the results of audit reports to the NCTC in writing on an annual basis, except for cases in which violations are detected; as such violations must be immediately conveyed to the NCTC and included in the annual report.

h- Collaborating with the National Counter-Terrorism Committee and the Targeted Financial Sanctions Committee and providing information and data upon request.

• The supervisory authorities can impose any of the measures stipulated in Article (52) of the Law on Combating Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing No. (30/2016) against the financial institutions, non-financial businesses and professions and non-profit associations and entities in case they have not fulfilled their obligations mentioned in the question No. (9) above.

• The supervisory authorities may also refer the violations to their internal enforcement and licensing departments, in order to examine them and impose supervisory penalties.

The supervisory authorities must inform the National Counter-Terrorism Committee of the regulatory penalties they impose against financial institutions, non-financial businesses and professions, and non-profit organizations that do not comply with the provisions of the National Counter-Terrorism Committee Decision No. (1/2022).

According to the NCTC Decision No. (1/2022), any external party may submit a request to the NCTC to include the name of a person who is believed to meet the criteria for inclusion in the Local List of the Sultanate of Oman. The request should be submitted without delay or prior notice to the person to be included, and without the need of previous investigation or judicial procedures against the person, whether in the Sultanate of Oman or from an external party.

• The NCTC shall refer the request to the Targeted Financial Sanctions Committee, which will decide whether there are reasonable grounds to suspect or believe that the person to be included meets the criteria for inclusion in the Local List in accordance with Article (14) of the National Counter-Terrorism Committee Decision No. (1/2022).

• The entity submitting the request must support its request with reasonable grounds for suspecting or believing that the person to be included meets the criteria of UNSCR No. (1373), along with as much information as possible about the person's identity, details that supports the listing request, including: the name of the person to be included, any information necessary to determine their accurate and precise identity, information that supports that the person meets the criteria of inclusion in the Local List in accordance with Article (14) of the NCTC Decision No. (1/2022).

·        In case that the Targeted Financial Sanctions Committee decides to designate any person in the Local List, the following must be done:

1. Notifying all financial institutions, non-financial businesses and professions, non-profit organizations and relevant authorities of the listing decision. The decision must be published in the Official Gazette and the website of the NCTC.

2. Notifying the designated person in writing of the decision to list him in the Local List. The notice includes facts that can be released publicly such as the reasons for the listing, the rules and procedures for requesting delisting from the Local List.

A person on the Local List residing in the Sultanate of Oman must be notified by sending the notification to them by e-mail or to their last registered address, or by any means possible. In case that the person resides outside the Sultanate of Oman, they must be notified through the Foreign Ministry of Oman to the representative of the country in which they reside or are present, but if the address is unknown, they must be notified through the Foreign Ministry of Oman to the representative of the country whose nationality he holds.

·  Any person whose name is designated in the Local List may submit a written request to the Targeted Financial Sanctions Committee to delist his name from the List. The Targeted Financial Sanctions Committee examines the application submitted by the person whose name is designated in the Local List within 30 days from the date of its complete submission, and it is considered rejected if the 30 days has passed without a response.

·     In case that the application is rejected according to the two cases mentioned in the above paragraph; the person may who submit a petition against that before the NCTC within (30) days from the date of his knowledge of the rejection decision. NCTC must decide on the petition within (60) days from the date of its complete submission, and its decision is considered final.

In case that the Targeted Financial Sanctions Committee decides to delist the person from the Local List, the following must be done:

A. Notifying all financial institutions, non-financial businesses and professions, non-profit bodies and relevant authorities of the delisting decision, and publishing the decision on the NCTC website and the Official Gazette.

B. Notifying the person who has been delisted in writing of the decision to delist him, which includes the reasons for the delisting.

C. The person who has been delisted from the Local List and residing in the Sultanate of Oman must be notified by sending the notification to them by e-mail or to their last registered address, or by any possible means, and if they are residing outside the Sultanate of Oman, they must be notified through the Foreign Ministry of Oman to the representative of the country in which they resides or where they resides, but if the address is unknown, they must be notified through the Foreign Ministry of Oman to the representative of the country whose nationality he holds.

The National Counter-Terrorism Committee proposes to the relevant United Nations Sanctions Committee the inclusion of a person in the UN Targeted Financial Sanctions List, in the cases where NCTC has reasonable grounds to doubt or believe that such person meets the inclusion criteria referred to in the relevant UNSCRs.

• The proposal is submitted without prior notice to the person proposed to be included, and is not required to be based on previous judicial procedures against the person whether in the Sultanate of Oman or any other country.

• The proposal is submitted as per the standard procedures and forms approved by the UN Security Council or its relevant sanctions committee, and includes as much information as possible about the person proposed to be included, a statement of the case and details on which the proposal is based, and specifying whether or not the Sultanate of Oman wants to be identified as a designating state.

• According to the National Counter-Terrorism Committee Decision No. (1/2022), the Committee may request information and data it deems necessary from any person or relevant authority in the Sultanate of Oman to determine whether or not certain persons should be proposed to be included in the UN List.

In the event that the UN Security Council or its relevant sanctions committee decides to include any person in the UN list, the listing decision will be published on the United Nations’ website. Therefore, all financial institutions, non-financial businesses and professions, non-profit organizations and relevant authorities must continuously check the UN website.

• Any Omani person, a resident of Oman or a person who has a place of business in the Sultanate of Oman, and who has been included in the UN List, may submit a de-listing request to the National Counter-Terrorism Committee, in accordance with the procedures approved by the UN Security Council and its relevant sanctions committee.

• The National Counter-Terrorism Committee shall review the request in terms of the extent to which the person meets the criteria for inclusion in the UN List according to UNSCRs No. (1267), (1718), (1988), (1989), (2231) and all the subsequent decisions related to the criteria for inclusion in the UN List. If the aforementioned inclusion criteria do not apply to the person, the National Counter-Terrorism Committee may submit a request to the UN Security Council or its relevant sanctions committee to remove the name of the applicant from the UN List.

• The listed person may also directly contact the United Nations Ombudsman or the United Nations focal point to request removal from the lists according to UNSCR No. (1267), pursuant to the procedures applied by the Committees of UNSC Resolutions No. (1267) and (1988) depending on the cases.

In case a decision is issued to remove the person from the List, the name shall be removed from the UN List and the delisting decision shall be published on the UN website. Therefore, all FIs, DNFBPs, and relevant authorities must continuously monitor the aforementioned website, and that NCTC shall notify all FIs, DNFBPs, and relevant authorities of the decision of the removal from the UN List. Accordingly, institutions shall lift the freezing on the funds and economic resources of the person within a period not exceeding 24 hours from being notified.

Yes, any person affected by freezing measures may submit a request to have their freezing measures lifted or amended if the following conditions are met:

A)   The applicant is not the person by the listing decision.

B)  The applicant is not a person included in the UN list under a relevant resolution issued by UNSC, except for Resolution No. (1373).

C)  The decision to lift or amend is limited to funds and economic resources which are not subject to freezing from the beginning.

•   Yes, access can be made for the following purposes:

A) Paying for necessary or basic expenses, including payments for foodstuff, medicines and medical treatment, rent and mortgage, taxes, insurance policies, public utility service fees such as water, electricity, gas, and telecommunications, within reasonable limits.

B) Paying for professional fees and expenses associated with safekeeping and maintenance, and those related to the provision of legal services, within reasonable limits.

C) Paying for fees or service charges for the management of frozen funds or economic resources.

•  In case a request for permission to access frozen funds and/ or economic resources - or part thereof – which are listed pursuant to a UNSCR, the authorization can only be granted upon approval of TFS Committee along with a notification to be issued by the NCTC to the UNSC or its relevant sanctions committee explaining that NCTC is in the process of agreeing to grant permission to the applicant to access the frozen funds and / or economic resources to cover their basic expenses. The request can only be authorized in case no objection is received from the UN Security Council or the relevant Sanctions Committee within 5 working days from the date of the notification being received.

Yes, it is possible, and they must take place under contracts, agreements or commitments made and signed before the date on which those accounts became subject to freezing according to the relevant Security Council resolutions; except for the payments due under contracts, agreements, or commitments on the person’s accounts which were frozen under Resolution No. (1373) and which is continued under Resolution No. (2231).

They should notify the NCTC and freeze such interests, profits or other returns or payments immediately.

• Yes, you can, and this must take place under contracts, agreements or commitments made and signed before the date on which those accounts became subject to freezing under the Security Council Resolution No. (1373) and which is continued under Resolution No. (2231).

• Granting permission to access the funds and/or economic resources mentioned above should be under the following conditions:

1. The contract is not related to any of the materials, equipment, commodities, technology, assistance, training, financial assistance, investment, mediation and services specified in the UN Security Council Resolution No. (2231) and its subsequent resolutions.

2. The payment is not received directly or indirectly by a person who is subject to the measures stipulated in Paragraph 6 of Appendix B of UN Security Council Resolution No. (2231).

3. The NCTC notifies the UN Security Council of its intention to make or receive financial payments or authorize the lifting the freezing of funds or economic resources for this purpose within 10 working days from the specified date of the procedure.

• Any person affected by a freezing decision pursuant to National Counter-Terrorism Committee Decision No. (1/2022) may submit a written request to the Targeted Financial Sanctions Committee to lift or amend the freezing procedure.

• Any person whose funds or economic resources have been frozen, or any person affected by a freezing decision pursuant to NCTC Decision No. (1/2022), may submit a written request to the Targeted Financial Sanctions Committee to obtain permission to access those frozen funds and resources or part of them “to cover basic expenses, cover exceptional expenses, and pay obligations due under a contract made prior to the freezing decision”.

• The Targeted Financial Sanctions Committee shall decide on any request to lift or amend the freezing procedures, or to authorize access to frozen funds or economic resources submitted by the person whose funds or economic resources have been frozen or affected by the freezing decision, within 30 days from the date of the complete submission of the request. The request is considered rejected in the event that the 30 days passes without a response.

• If the application is rejected according to the above paragraph, it is permissible for the person to submit a petition before the NCTC within 30 days from the date of the person’s knowledge of the rejection decision, and the NCTC shall decide on the petition within 60 days from the date of the complete submission of the petition. NCTC decision is considered final.

• In the event that the person was included in the local list and a decision is issued approving the lifting or amending the freezing measures or granting permission to HAVE access to the frozen funds or economic resources, the decision shall be published in the Official Gazette and the NCTC website.

All FIs and DNFBPs and relevant authorities must be informed of the decision to remove or authorize access, whether the person is included in the local list or the UN list, and they must take measures to remove or authorize access to the funds and economic resources of the said person within a period not exceeding 24 hours from the time of being informed.

• The person whose funds or economic resources have been unfrozen or modified or was granted permission to access them shall be notified as follows:

a- A person residing in the Sultanate of Oman is notified by a notice sent to his e-mail or to his last registered address, or by any other possible means.

b- A person residing outside the Sultanate of Oman is notified through the Foreign Ministry of Oman and the representative of the country where they reside or are being present.

C- The person whose address is unknown is notified through the Foreign Ministry of Oman and the representative of the country of their nationality.

• The NCTC and the Targeted Financial Sanctions Committee determine the conditions necessary to prevent funds or economic resources that have been unfrozen or accessed from being used in the financing of terrorism, and they may revoke any permission granted at any time if facts appeared indicating that the unfreezing measures or granting access to frozen funds or economic resources may lead to the use of such funds or economic resources in the financing of terrorism.