Inmates in Ajman focus on redemption

Ajman: Authorities and inmates gathered on Sunday to mark the beginning of a week dedicated to ensuring national prisoners have every opportunity to work toward reform.

The path to redemption for those convicted of wrongdoing is a central plank in the fourth annual GCC Unified Inmates’ Week which is earmarked with the slogan “together to achieve reform”.

The main celebrations are taking place at Ajman Culture Centre and will continue until December 26.

The opening ceremony was attended by Shaikh Abdul Aziz Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of Ajman Department of Tourism and Development; Brigadier Hamad Khamis Al Dhaheri, Deputy Head of the Punitive and Correctional Establishments Department at the Ministry of Interior; Brigadier Shaikh Sultan Bin Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Chief of Ajman Police; Major General Ali Alwan, Commander-in-Chief of Ras Al Khaimah Police as well as number of senior officials from all penal and correctional institutions in the country and the GCC.

Brigadier Al Nuaimi said the awareness event aims to spread the culture of training and rehabilitation of inmates for the service of the community. It also aims to emphasise the important role of strategic partners in the reform process, by taking advantage of inmates’ free time to boost their skills, qualify them for work as active and productive citizens; and to integrate inmates into society trough post-release care and changing social perception towards them.

The week’s events will include numerous activities that are organised by the Ministry of Interior; including the Inmates Village being held on the Ajman Corniche which will offer crafts produced by prisoners. Inmates will receive money from the craft sales.

As part of the events, inmates will welcome their families from inside the country and abroad.

Brigadier Abdullah Al Hamarani, Deputy of Ajman Police told Gulf News that “the United Arab Emirates is keen to provide inmates with care, moral and financial support, and to provide them with religious and health education, to prevent them from relapsing into crime and from choosing bad companionship due to ignorance and poor faith. The UAE is also keen to provide inmates with post-release care, to rehabilitate them, integrate them into society and their families and provide them with decent work opportunities.”

Brigadier Al Hamarani said the Ajman Central Jail currently houses between 600 and 650 inmates, including men and women.

The inmates are assigned a daily activity, depending on which rehabilitation programme they have been assigned to undertake. The rehabilitation can be either occupational or give inmates the opportunity to further their education. They can enrol in either computer classes or religious instruction.

The prisoners also have breaks where they can spend time in the exercise grounds, borrow books from the library, participate in sports or other activities.