JEDDAH, 11 December — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd ordered the release of more than 12,000 prisoners serving time for minor offenses on the occasion of the Eid Al-Fitr, the director of prisons was quoted as saying yesterday.
The general pardon is to mark the 20th anniversary of King Fahd’s accession to the throne, Al-Watan daily quoted Maj. Gen. Ali Al-Harithi as saying.
He added that the pardon will benefit more than 40 percent of about 30,000 prisoners in the Kingdom’s jails.
Commenting on the difference between the release of prisoners at the beginning of every Ramadan and this year’s pardon, Al-Harithi said the conditions for pardon were relaxed to a greater extent this year making the release of a larger number of prisoners possible.
The special committee for the prisoners’ release are working to prepare a list of prisoners eligible for amnesty.
In previous years, some 15 percent of prisoners had benefited from the royal pardon, he said.
To be eligible for pardon, prisoners must not be repeat offenders and must not have committed serious offenses such as drug trafficking.
The prisons chief also said his department was trying to improve the conditions in jails as part of a major reform program which was started when the prisons were under the control of the Public Security Department.
Maj. Gen. Al-Harithi said last week that the Kingdom was planning to abolish jail terms for a number of offenses as part of the reforms. The jail terms will likely be replaced by community service or a fine, he said.
