Manama, Mar. 12(BNA): His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the Supreme Commander, has issued a royal decree pardoning 901 inmates for humanitarian reasons, in the backdrop of the current circumstances.

“The ministry has thoroughly studied the conditions of the reform and rehabilitation inmates who are serving their sentences, with a view to determining those who meet the objective and legal conditions”, said Interior Minister General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al-Khalifa.

He said that the ministry took into account in its study “abstract criteria to determine those who are entitled to amnesty for humanitarian reasons under the current circumstances.

He pointed out that the thorough study took also into consideration the provisions of the law and principles of international human rights agreements, taking into account the fact that inmates are young people and patients who need special care, as well as the extent of commitment to the rehabilitation programmes which are organized by the reform and rehabilitation authority.

The Ministry of Interior announced that the deportation provisions which were issued against foreigners whose remaining are being implemented so that they will serve the remaining prison sentence in their countries.

The Ministry of Interior announced that the law on alternative penalties would be implemented on 585 inmates who served half their jail terms, in compliance with the royal directives to competent authorities to expand the implementation of the law on non-custodial penalties.

“The vested judge in charge of implementing verdicts issued an edict replacing the remaining jail term for the inmates and enrolling them in rehabilitation and training programmes and, obligating them to other types of alternative penalties”, said the ministry.

AHN