Abu Dhabi: A new resolution issued in Abu Dhabi on Sunday sets rules and guidelines for the type of work that people ordered to do community service have to undertake.
Community service will include memorising and teaching the Quran, juvenile care, cleaning streets, public squares, beaches, parks and natural sanctuaries, special needs care, transporting patients, cleaning and maintaining mosques, cleaning sports facilities and selling tickets, cleaning and maintaining public libraries, and teaching uneducated and illiterate people how to read and write.
It will also include gardening and maintaining public parks, loading and unloading containers at ports, assisting civil defence teams, performing post office duties, administrative work in health centres, clerical work, and pumping gas in petrol stations.
Community service in local judicial institutions must be approved by the head of the judicial entity.
The decree issued by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, comes within the framework of implementing Federal Law No 7 of 2016, in which Article 120 stipulates the mandatory community service of sentenced individuals in any of the facilities or establishments.
The law also stipulates the coordination between the public prosecution entitled with community service and the designated entity, in which community service will be performed.
Detailed reports on performance, behaviour and discipline of sentenced individuals should be prepared by designated entities and addressed to the community service public prosecution.
If sentenced individuals fail to comply and perform their community service, the prosecution can submit a request to the court asking for an imprisonment penalty equivalent to that of the community service period, or for the sentenced individual to complete the remaining time of community service behind bars.
Yousuf Saeed Al Abri, undersecretary of Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, said that community service will be offered in various humanitarian, educational, environmental and service fields, aimed at altering the psychological mindset and behaviour of the sentenced individuals.
Ali Mohammad Al Beloushi, Attorney General of Abu Dhabi said community service will positively impact individuals’ manners and behaviour, and benefit them and the community.
Al Beloushi called on all designated entities, as well as the public to accommodate community service members, build mutual trust, and assist them to become productive members in society.
Asma Samir is a journalist based in Abu Dhabi.
