Married prisoners in Qatar will be able to spend up to five hours with their wives and children in the privacy of two small villas which have been recently built in the Central Prison for this purpose.  In some cases the visit can be extended even for an entire day.

In an interview to local Arabic daily Arrayah, Brigadier-General Mohamed Saud al-Utaibi, director of the Penal and Correctional Institutions Department (PCID) in the Ministry of Interior, said each villa had “a well-equipped” kitchen and a living room besides other facilities.

Prisoners can avail of the facility by providing legally authenticated marriage certificates.

Al-Utaibi affirmed that the two villas would not substitute the two conjugal visit rooms that had existed in the prison for many years.

In addition, there is a newly-launched hall for family visits. The prison authorities are keen to allow inmates to enjoy the maximum possible time with their families, especially during public and religious occasions.

The department has provided a new sports hall for the benefit of inmates besides four new training workshops. These are used to develop the skills of prisoners and train them in activities such as carpentry and welding.

Women inmates have been assigned female Qatari trainers to train them in dressmaking, embroidery and handicraft.

The PCID director said the Ministry of Interior had launched an e-visit system in the prison facilities two years ago, allowing prisoners to communicate and chat with their families through the Internet by using Skype, Yahoo and other social media channels. “The system is a big success as a large number of inmates  benefit from it.”

For prisoners involved in cases of dud cheques, he said the authorities facilitated communication and negotiation between creditors and inmates. They also involve various charities and philanthropists to help the prisoners clear their debts, as far as possible.

Al-Utaibi stressed that the PCID co-operated with various social entities in the country, especially those pertaining to the Ministry of Social Affairs, to provide  inmates and their families with financial aid and help them find suitable jobs after their release.

The Ministry of Interior is keen to implement a post-release care programme to help former prisoners lead a better life and avoid going back to crime.

He said the efforts of PCID had been well received by various local and international human rights organisations which had paid visits to its facilities. “In particular, the prison library has won their admiration as it has now more than 11,000 books. In addition, there are various workshops and recreational facilities for prisoners who also benefit from technical forums that teach them how to develop their skills in arts such as drawing and painting.”

Quality meals are also provided to prisoners.

 

 

 

 

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