Debts of 100 inmates to be paid off by Abu Dhabi fund this Ramadan

Faraj Fund will also help 45 more prisoners during the UAE’s 48th National Day celebrations

A fund that supports people who have been imprisoned over financial issues will help 100 inmates clear their debt during Ramadan next month.

The Faraj Fund intends to help a further 45 prisoners pay off their debt during the UAE’s 48th National Day celebrations this year, reported state news agency Wam.

The fund, based in Abu Dhabi, provides support to inmates and their families across the UAE through airway ticket campaigns and debt relief.

Nasser Al Nuiami, chairman of the fund's board, said more than 11,000 inmates from more than 50 nationalities have been helped since its launch in 2009.

"We work to relieve the financial burdens these inmates face by raising funds to eliminate outstanding debts that they are unable to settle while in prison," said Mr Al Nuiami.

Applications submitted to the fund are assessed by a committee who go on to recommend a course of action. The fund then works with corporations in the UAE, as part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives, to raise money and awareness for the inmates.

Currently, the fund considers five categories for individuals who need assistance: people struggling to repay loans and civil debts; airline tickets for those who have been deported; support for families abroad; payment of ‘Diyyah’ (a payment, under Islamic law, to compensate the victim, or their heirs, in cases of murder, bodily harm or property damage). It also considers individuals struggling to pay their legal fees, court fees and penalties.