700 prisoners win Ramadan pardon

Seven hundred Emirati and expat prisoners will be released and granted executive pardon from prisons across the UAE to mark the holy month of Ramadan, it was reported on Wednesday.

President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has also instructed the settlement of the prisoners’ debts, according to state news agency, Wam.

Muslim countries around the world pardon thousands of prisoners jailed for minor crimes during the holy month.

It is not yet known if the British DJ, Grooverider, was one of the pardoned prisoners.

The DJ, who was sentenced to four years in prison after he was caught at Dubai International Airport with a small amount of cannabis, was hoping to be released after it was revealed his name was on a list of possible pardons to be dealt with during Ramadan.

Pardons during the holy month are granted on humanitarian reasons.

Other factors taken into consideration include the nature of the crime, the length of sentence, good behaviour and how much of the jail term has been served.

Last year Sheikh Khalifa granted an executive pardon to 808 prisoners and settled prisoners’ debts worth $930,000.

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