DUBAI // The Red Crescent Authority (RCA) has paid the debts of 10 prisoners held in Dubai to secure their release from jail. The seven men and three women, who include Emiratis and expatriates, were jailed because of financial problems and debts accumulated as a result of car accidents. Mohammed Abdullah al Hajj al Zarouni, the director of the RCA's Dubai branch, said some of them had been in prison for more than a year.
Mr Zarouni paid the money last week to Maj Gen Mohammed al Suwaidi, the director general of the Dubai Police department of reformatory and penal establishments. The decision to help the prisoners was made by Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and chairman of the RCA, who ordered a study of their cases. "The RCA went to meet their families and went to the jail to make a study," he said. "Sometimes we also went to the bank to discuss how we could help resolve the matter."
Mr Zarouni, who did not disclose the amount of the debts, said eight of the prisoners had already been released and two men were still waiting for the process to be completed. The expatriates would not be deported. Maj Gen Suwaidi has since commended the co-operation between the RCA and his department for boosting joint community services. It is believed to be at least the eighth time the RCA has acted to help debt-encumbered prisoners.
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