On the occasion of the upcoming Eid Al-Adha, several rulers across the United Arab Emirates have ordered the release of 1,907 prisoners.
On Monday, the country's president Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan called for the release of 803 prisoners ahead of the Muslim holiday, pledging to settle the financial obligations of those pardoned, according to The National.
Aside from the president's order, rulers of the emirates of Dubai, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah also pardoned a number of inmates just ahead of Eid.
Here's a breakdown:
Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum ordered the release of 543 prisoners
The prisoners released were of different nationalities. They were all ordered to be released from Dubai’s correctional and punitive establishments.
The order will help bring "happiness to their families and help the pardoned individuals get a fresh start in life and support them in reintegrating into the community," said Essam Eisa Al Humaidan, Attorney General of Dubai, according to Gulf News.
Sharjah's ruler Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi ordered the release of 117 prisoners
The order comes in line with the emirate's aim to bring "joy" to families, relatives, and friends of the pardoned inmates.
Fujairah's ruler Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammad Al Sharqi pardoned 47 prisoners
The inmates released were pardoned for displaying "good conduct while serving their sentence" in the emirate's prison.
Ajman's Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid El Nuaimi ordered the release of 92 prisoners
92 prisoners in punitive and reformative establishments were pardoned in the emirate, concurrently with the ruler's keenness on giving the inmates another chance at "reintegrating into society."
The ruler also called for the deportation of non-citizen prisoners.
Ras Al Khaimah's ruler Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi ordered the release of 305 inmates
The 305 pardoned prisoners had previously been sentenced for different offenses.
Ras Al Khaimah's ruler offered to settle the financial debts of those released.
Not the first time UAE prisoners get pardoned on the occasion of a Muslim holiday
In 2016, rulers of three different emirates called for the release of a total of 1,987 prisoners on the occasion of Ramadan.
At the time, UAE's president Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan ordered the release of 1,010 inmates, Dubai's ruler released 730 and Ras Al Khaimah's ruler released 247 prisoners.