KUWAIT: Ministry of Interior's (MoI) assistant undersecretary for correctional facilities and verdicts execution affairs Maj Gen Farraj Al-Zobi said the total number of prisoners to be included in the Amiri amnesty this year would be 600 to 700, including citizens and expats imprisoned for various crimes except those involved in state security and terrorism-related cases.
Speaking on the sidelines of opening the correctional facilities' 8th 'Made by Our Hands' exhibition held under the auspices of MoI Undersecretary Lt Gen Essam Al-Nahham at The Avenues Mall, Zobi said the exhibition will be on till Saturday to display products made by prisoners for sale at reasonable prices.

Zobi stressed the aim of having prisoners practice their professions and hobbies inside prisons is to fruitfully occupy their free time and teach them certain crafts that could help them find suitable jobs once they serve their time and get released. He urged citizens to visit the exhibition and purchase the products to take advantage of the low prices compared to similar products in the market.

Director of the correctional facilities Maj Gen Ali Al-Muaily said prisons are mainly concerned with correcting prisoners' conduct to make sure they return to the society as good and useful individuals. Muaily added that prisoners are given nominal wages in return for the work they do in prison, which encourages many of them to take up certain professions that could be handy for them once they get back to the society.

In other news, the relations and security information department at the interior ministry said 15,539 driving licenses were renewed online from Nov 18, 2019 till Dec 17, 2019. It said machines at The Avenues issued 8,961 licenses, Kout 3,905, Capital traffic department 1,801, and Hawally 872 licenses.

By A Saleh and Hanan Al-Saadoun