Abu Dhabi replaces imprisonment with community services for minor crimes

Mohammed Alaa, Staff Reporter

Abu Dhabi Police replaced the imprisonment penalty with community service, one of the modern penalties which was applied and implemented in the Abu Dhabi Police General Command since the issuance of the legislation in 2017 of the Community Service Measures Department of the Community Security Sector, according to Major Abdul Rahman Al Shibli, Director of the Community Service Measures Implementation Branch in the Community Service Sector.

Shibli said the Community Service is carried out by those who are penalised, in one of the approved bodies specified by the resolution, to benefit from the service, which includes voluntary work and serving the community.

During the service, the penalised performs a community service work in one of the institutions or establishments, as an alternative to the imprisonment penalty, and it is at least 7 days and does not exceed 3 months.

Al Shibli indicated that the Community Service is performed in several federal and local authorities in Abu Dhabi, including the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments, ADNOC Distribution, the Ministry of Culture and Youth, the Emirates Post Authority, prosecutions, civil defence, municipal affairs, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and other charity institutions.

He affirmed that during the coronavirus pandemic, Abu Dhabi Police provided this service as the convicts contributed to benefitting various parties, such as check points, vaccination centres and hospitals.