A wonderful gesture by a nation's ruler
In amnesty, Khalifa settles the debts
Marten Youssef
* Last Updated: March 18. 2009 6:54PM UAE / March 18. 2009 2:54PM GMT
ABU DHABI // A total of 329 inmates who were jailed for unpaid debts are being released from Abu Dhabi’s prisons according to a decree by Sheikh Khalifa, President of the UAE.
In his capacity as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa announced he would pay the outstanding amount owed of Dh3 million (US$817,000).
“This is a great joy for the families of the inmates and we can only hope they appreciate the generosity of Sheikh Khalifa,” said Brig Yousef al Ahmed, the manager of corrections and prison administration.
Asked if there was a specific occasion to mark the release of the inmates, Brig al Ahmed said there was not.
“All of these inmates are there for financial reasons and their release does not pose any threat to the society,” Brig al Ahmed said. “We hope they can take advantage of this new beginning and start a new chapter of their lives.”
Because they were jailed for indebtedness, the inmates are not likely to face deportation, which is normally reserved for people who commit crimes under the country’s penal code – drugs, murder, forgery or theft.
Amnesties are often granted during the month of Ramadan. Sheikh Khalifa ordered 700 prisoners to be freed in September ahead of Ramadan.
http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090319/NATIONAL/992905649/1138
Kind gesture, but All this keeps me looking for an answer on how is it possible for a person to actually own and inherent a country and a nation as a personal property and deal with it accordingly!
is like a grain in Camel's mouth.
The country where people (top businessmen) buy special number plates at the cost of AED 20/25mn, one could sponsor a soccer team like Manchester City...
hope am clear.
Happens regularly in Saudi. The King pardons people usually during the ramadan period.
Mind you, George W did the same with Lippy or whatever his name was..
bailing out? The difference is that the beneficiaries are prisoners of financial crimes.
But I still like his move somehow:)
"I do live by the motto that pessimists are usually right, but all the great change in history was done by optimists" -Thomas Friedman
Yes they probably can nicaq, but that doesn't mean they should. It sends out completely the wrong message if you ask me, and is obviously just a PR exercise.
Heaven forbid people be punished for breaking the law.
It's no wonder people in this region have no sense of personal responsibility when there is always someone else to blame, or someone else to pick up the pieces.
You do the crime, you do the time. I don't see the grey area.
Well tallg from what i've gathered the leagal system in the middle east = a mockery in the first place, but that is just going by what i've seen and heard.
for that matter can give amnesty..in any form. And I guess it has been approved by their legal counsels.
"I do live by the motto that pessimists are usually right, but all the great change in history was done by optimists" -Thomas Friedman
Doesn't it just make a mockery of their legal system?
What a top bloke. That's actually really awsome giving people a second chance.
I Salute the Great Man and his wonderful gesture
how wonderful. Is there anyway that possible here too?
he!he!he!
"I do live by the motto that pessimists are usually right, but all the great change in history was done by optimists" -Thomas Friedman