DUBAI, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) president has ordered the release of 803 prisoners on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha, the Islamic feast of sacrifice, UAE state news agency WAM reported on Monday.
The UAE President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan has ordered the release of 803 prisoners on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha, who had been sentenced to jail terms for a variety of offenses.
Sheikh Khalifa pledged to settle the financial obligations of the released prisoners, the report added.
The pardon comes within the framework of the keenness of the UAE president to give the pardoned prisoners a chance to start a new life, and alleviate the suffering of their families, said WAM.
Eid Al-Adha is observed in the Islamic world this year from Thursday August 31st until Sunday, September 3. Heads of state and monarchs in the Arab world regularly pardon prisoners on the occasion of Islamic feasts.
