Muscat – Supreme Judicial Council has confirmed that divorce pronounced through digital platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram and Snapchat is legal in Oman, while underscoring the need to maintain the sanctity of marriage in a rapidly changing communication landscape.

In a recent statement, the council clarified that divorce pronounced via modern communication tools are binding under Omani law, provided it is proven that the pronouncement was made by the husband.

‘Divorce conducted through modern technology, including WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat and others, is valid if it is conclusively proven that it was issued by the husband,’ the council said.

The clarification comes amid growing legal and social debate in the region over the impact of digital communication on family structures.

The council reaffirmed the importance of traditional family values, describing marriage as a ‘sacred bond and a documented contract based on love and compassion between spouses’.

It also noted that marriage remains ‘a great responsibility because it is the foundation for building a stable family’, stressing that the legal recognition of digital divorce does not diminish the solemnity of the institution.

Meanwhile, official figures indicate a drop in the overall number of divorce cases in Oman with 3,828 annulments recorded in 2023, down from 4,160 in 2022 and 3,837 in 2021. However, Muscat bucked the national trend, reporting a rise in cases with 1,008 registered in 2023, up from 977 in 2022 and 853 in 2021.

North Batinah recorded 665 cases, Dhofar 633, Dakhliyah 360, South Batinah 325, North Sharqiyah 251 and South Sharqiyah 241 cases in 2023.