Zakat Fund Abu Dhabi money frees 10 debt prisoners

Zakat Fund Abu Dhabi has pledged Dh230,000 to free 10 debt prisoners in the UAE after donation by Pure Gold Jewellers.

ABU DHABI // Zakat Fund Abu Dhabi has pledged Dh230,000 to free 10 debt prisoners in the UAE.

The three Pakistanis, three Egyptians, two Jordanians, a Syrian and an Emirati had lost their jobs and were unable to pay back debts, which ranged between Dh3,000 and Dh40,000.

The donation to the Zakat Fund was made by Pure Gold Jewellers.

"I wanted to see the prisoners back home with their families instead of wasting time in prison," said Firoz G Merchant, the chairman of the company. "We're all human, we all make mistakes and I believe if they are sensible people, they will learn from their mistakes and correct them."

The prisoners returned to their home countries on their release.

"We care about prisoners and their families - the ones who have simple problems and are stuck in prison for negligible amounts," said Jamal Khalaf al Mazrouei, the head of Zakat sources and media department at the Zakat Fund Abu Dhabi.

"For every Muslim in the country or anywhere in the world, he has to help, from a social stand, as it is a social problem and responsibility of every Muslim who has money to help a prisoner return to his family, and it must be taken seriously."

Mr Merchant added he "would like to help people in many ways but this is the best way - to give them a new peaceful life in which they will be able to follow the country's law and system".