Tears of joy marked reunion of inmates with families
sharjah — It was an emotional reunion for 16 inmates languishing in Sharjah punitive centre when they got a chance to meet their families as part of the ongoing GCC Unified Inmates’ Week activities organised by Sharjah Police.
The inmates in Sharjah Reformatory and Punitive Establishment (SRPE) met their families who were brought by Sharjah Police from various countries.
The families who arrived from USA, Morocco, Egypt, India, Srilanka, Oman, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Ukraine, were invited by Sharjah Police spend time with their loved ones over dinner for almost five hours. The inmates who were sentenced for life and long terms were caught in mixed feelings while they received the family members kissing and hugging at the SRPE premises.
Brig Saif Al Zeri Al Shamsi, commander in Chief of Sharjah Police said that the initiative would give relief to the devastated families specially those who live overseas.
Col. Khalifa Al Merri, director of SRPE said that the inmates were rewarded for their best conduct while serving their term. The families expressed happiness over the opportunity to meet their loved ones who said they doubted meeting them again as some were serving long term including lifers and even death sentence. The families thanked the police department for bearing the entire cost of their trips.
Relief for 2 sentenced to life
Fatima could not help crying while hugging and kissing her 29-yearold son Anwar Salim, who was sentenced for life imprisonment for murdering another Indian man nine years ago. Salim, a native of Kerala, India, has become a different person now. He said he came all the way to UAE 10 years go to find work and support his family, as the responsibility to his family fell upon him after his father’s death. Unfortunately, he got involved in the murder and never thought his life would end this way.
Another inmate who was sentenced for murder and released was Srilankan Rajesh Wijaysingha. He was received by his brother Danesh and mother. Rajesh was sentenced to life for murdering an Indian man over a financial dispute. The mother said that since her son was jailed 11 years ago she had never slept, and her son used to come in her dream to tell her ‘mom don’t worry I’m fine.’ A relieved mother said, she will go back home now to sleep deeply, and happy to see her son in great condition, as he told her in the dream.
Sharing his story as to how he landed in jail, Rajesh said that he was not involved in the murder, but he was in the scene when his friend stabbed the victim several time until he died. “I don’t have the hope of being pardoned because the victim’s family has asked for 3million in blood money.”
Consul general meets couples
Khaleej Times also spoke to a Ukrainian couple undergoing trial in a drug abuse case. They said they entered the country with a drug substance given to them by a person who claimed it as a medicine for kidney treatment to be handed over to someone here. They got arrested 10 days ago and currently are waiting for the trial.
Consul General of Ukraine, Dr. Aleksandra Balanutsa, who visited them appreciated the humanitarian gesture of Sharjah Police to support the inmates morally by allowing them to meet their loved ones.
He said that he came to meet his country people to learn their problem and make all the best to support and help them in order to overcome the situation.
Victim of human trafficking
Alia, mother of Sana, a 24-year- old female inmate, who came all the way from Morocco, expressed her happiness in meeting her daughter. She said my daughter, Sana, was sentenced for one year in jail for her involvement in prostitution. But she was not prostitute.