The Penal and Correctional Institutions Department (PCID) of the Ministry of Interior held a ceremony marking the end of the Ramadan sports matches for inmates.
An inmate receiving a prize
The ceremony was attended by PCID director Colonel Mohamed Saud al-Otaibi, Social Rehabilitation Centre (Al-Owain) social adviser Dr Ibrahim Atiyyah and Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah Foundation for Humanitarian Services (RAF) media and public relations unit head Mohamed Hassan al-Harami along with a number of officers and team representatives.
In his welcome address, the PCID director stressed the importance of recreational activities as part of social rehabilitation.
He also praised the sportsmanship of the inmates and their discipline during the matches. Colonel al-Otabibi also commended public and private authorities that support rehabilitation projects of the PCID.
Dr Atiyyah said Al-Owain is co-operating with the Permanent Committee for Drug and Alcohol Affairs (PCDAA) and the PCID with the ‘Second Chance’ programmes aimed at rehabilitation of the inmates.
A team of experts from the Centre will involve in a six-month programme to rehabilitate the inmates psychologically, medically, socially, physically and religiously.
Once they are released from the prisons, the Centre will provide them further rehabilitation under the supervision of medical and psychiatric experts.
Colonel al-Otaibi distributed trophies and prizes to the winners of different sport events including football, volley ball, tug of war, billiards, table football and table tennis. The best football player and overall champion team also were honoured.