A prisoner from Ras Al Khaimah has been allowed to take his son to school for the first day of the new term.
The inmate, in his forties, was given permission to leave jail temporarily as part of an initiative aimed at strengthening family cohesion.
The man, who has not been named, was fitted with an electronic tag to allow the authorities to track his movements during the brief journey.
Police officers said the scheme was proving to be an enormous success, with many prisoners welcoming the idea.
"I’ve thought a lot about his first day of school and who would accompany him and organises his things," the inmate said.
"I can’t express how grateful I am to my country for offering me the opportunity. I learnt a lot from the experience."
The new initiative was launched by RAK Police to coincide with the beginning of the new academic year.
Officials said they hoped the move would strengthen family and community ties as well as bolster inmate morale.
"The initiative aims to create social cohesion, promote love and spread joy," said Maj Gen Ali Al Nuaimi, commander of RAK Police.
The Emirates is understood to be one of the first Arab nations to introduce electronic tagging for prison inmates.
More than 130 convicts have been fitted with the devices in Abu Dhabi since last year.
