Collecting donations without approval is a crime

The Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) has cautioned the public against donating to unauthorized charity seekers and confirmed that it does not grant permits to collect money from the public to community clubs.

The announcement comes in light of a video being circulated through social media showing members of a community club sorting and adding-up donated money.

Laying stress on the need to ascertain the authenticity of clips and images circulated through social media and other means, the ministry also called for an analysis of the possible reasons for their publication.

The ministry also called for donors to verify the statement accompanying a fundraising effort regarding the permission given to the fund collector and the period of authorization before making any donation. In this regard, it pointed out that many companies, institutions and supermarkets have set up donation boxes at their counters without getting the required approval.

The ministry has asked them to abide by procedures under which they were granted a licence as per the ministerial decision No (53/2010) under non-government organizations law issued by Royal Decree No 14/2000.

The decision regulates donations through charities, coupons, funds, sports matches, texting or bank accounts.

The collection of donations without approval is considered a crime. As per the law, whoever asks for donations or collects money without permission can be jailed for a period of one to three months and fined RO 200 to RO 600. For collecting and sending donations outside the country, the prison term can range from three months to one year and the fine can be anything between RO 1,000 to RO 2,000. Besides, the court has the right to confiscate the collected amount.

In 2009, the ministry has set up an electronic portal for Omani charity agencies, operated by Information Technology Authority (ITA).

The portal simplifies the process of making donations to a charity of one’s choice by offering citizens and residents an opportunity to do so online.

This article originally appeared on: https://www.omanobserver.om/donations-alert-collection-without-approval-a-crime/