Referral rate to the National Rehabilitation Centre reaches 100%: Abu Dhabi Judicial Department

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD), represented by the Abu Dhabi Centre for Legal and Community Awareness “Masouliya”, revealed that the referral rate of cases it received to the National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) reached 100 per cent.

The centre ran four major awareness campaigns and five secondary campaigns during the past year 2023.

Counselor Dr. Muhammad Rashid Al Dhanhani, Director of the Abu Dhabi Centre for Legal and Community Awareness “Masouliya” (“responsibility”) at the Judicial Department, made this revelation at a media briefing organised by the department remotely on Wednesday, entitled “A Centre of Responsibility... Legal Awareness that Enhances Community Protection.”

He said awareness campaigns during the past year included a risk campaign on electronic cigarettes; a campaign to reduce damage to the reputation of the state, its symbols and institutions; an awareness campaign on electronic fraud crimes; and an awareness campaign on the crime of violating privacy.

He added that secondary awareness campaigns are organised according to societal behaviours that appear incidentally, and accordingly, simplified campaigns are conducted for community members.

Campaigns

“During the past year, we organised five secondary campaigns, including electronic bullying, parents’ supervision and follow-up of their children when using social networking sites, animal kindness, and awareness raising about the dangers of drugs,” Dr Dhanhani said.

He pointed out that the centre also organised 6 awareness lectures, 4 radio interviews, 5 videos with advisors in the department, and 9 awareness videos.

Topics covered include the selling of fake tickets and fake shipping companies, as well as videos in exchange centres, commercial centres, and major exhibitions such as the book fair.

Two awareness campaigns, 3 radio broadcasts, and 4 stories bearing the titles “Big Brother, Dazzle and Deception, Triple Illusion, and Unfinished Joy.”

Legislation

He pointed out that the Abu Dhabi Centre for Legal and Community Awareness “Responsibility” published 149 awareness publications, including 78 publications on the Instagram and LinkedIn platforms, and 71 publications on the X platform.

Dr Al Dhanhani explained that legislation is one of the most important channels used to combat the spread of drugs.

The amendments that followed the issuance of Federal Decree Law No. 30 of 2021 regarding combating narcotic substances and psychotropic substances achieved the desired effect in combating drug abuse by viewing the user as a patient in need of treatment and not an accused person, for the purpose of giving him the opportunity to correct his behaviour and rehabilitate him so that he can be a good member of his family and community.

Treatment, rehabilitation

This is done through the court’s ability to replace the freedom-restricting sentence with placement in treatment and rehabilitation units for addicts, in accordance with the text of Article 45 of the Decree-Law.

This is in addition to the authority granted to the Public Prosecutor to place perpetrators of substance abuse crimes in the treatment unit, and not initiate a criminal case if he passes the treatment period.

Moreover, the addict, his spouse, a second-degree relative, or the person responsible for his upbringing, are granted the right to submit a request for treatment to the treatment unit, the Public Prosecution, or the police for the purpose of requesting treatment, which exempts him from facing a criminal case.