Lt. General Saif Abdullah Al Sha’far, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Interior, inaugurated the deliberations of the Unified GCC Inmates’ Week that was held at the Directorate General of Punitive and Correctional Establishments GHQ in Abu Dhabi. Major General Khalil Dawood Badran, Director General of Finance and Services; Major General Mohammed bin Al Awadhi Al Menhali, Director General of Police Operations; and Major General Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi, Director General of Central Operations at the Abu Dhabi Police GHQ were present at the opening ceremony.
This event, which is held on the GCC level and holds the slogan “My Family is in your hands,” will continue until December 12th.
In a statement on this occasion, Lt. General Al Sha’far said: “Under the directive of the higher commandments, the United Arab Emirates has given exceptional attention to the inmates of the Punitive Reformatory Establishments and their families. Government and private entities were asked to provide all capabilities necessary to the families, including the inmates’ families by providing them with support and aid to help them integrate in society, so they can be active members of the community who serve the homeland.”
“Taking care of the inmates of the Punitive Reformatory Establishments is a mission for many society institutions, as we do not forget the essential role that the Punitive Reformatory Establishments play in handling inmates. The families of those inmates are innocent victims that suffer from what one of their family members has done,” he added.
Lt. General Al Sha’far stated: “The Ministry of Interior participates in this week to support the integration of the inmates in society, and to confirm the importance of all institutions in the correctional process. The MoI supports the after-care that helps reintegrate inmates in society.”
“Choosing ‘My Family is in your hands’ as a slogan for the GCC Inmates’ Week shows the great attention the Punitive Reformatory Establishments has towards inmates while also showing that this attention includes their families as well. Let us all work together effectively, and let us join our efforts and achieve coordination between society institutions in order to guarantee a bright future for the inmates, former inmates, and their families. This will greatly contribute in social stability and will protect inmates from going back to crime; it will also encourage them to have a normal life after being released,” he continued.
The opening ceremony started with the UAE National Anthem, followed by a recitation from the Holy Quran. Then, Colonel Mohammed Saif Matar Al Zaabi, Director of the Punitive Reformatory Establishments, gave a speech through which he extended his heartfelt gratitude to the police commandment for their support and sponsoring this GCC event thereby improving and developing the punitive reformatory establishments across the country.
He said: “The GCC countries have strived to announce this event as it is an issue that involves all of them. This event achieves many goals by enhancing the confidence of society members in the efforts of the punitive reformatory establishments, and by supporting the efforts and the achievements related to caring for and reforming inmates. This event also aims to highlight the suffering of the inmates’ families, and the social problems and restrictions that face after they lose the family breadwinner. This event highlights the humanitarian message of the punitive reformatory establishments.”
Al Zaabi stressed on the importance of intensifying the efforts of all government entities and institutions to achieve all goals and prospects.