Call for alternative punishments gains momentum

Tarahum, the charity society that cares for prisoners and ex-convicts, has asked researchers to conduct studies on substitute punishments for women with a view to forwarding the findings to the concerned authorities, its CEO Suhail Sabban told Arab News Monday. He revealed that the society would hold a meeting in two weeks to discuss the issue of substitute punishments especially for women and to consider the outcome of the conference held recently in Riyadh on the subject. "The issue is still ambiguous and needs clear-cut rules and regulations to streamline it. Unlike men prisoners, the moment a woman is sent to jail, she will be shunned by her family and society, so it is imperative that substitute punishments are considered for them," he said. Sabban suggested that instead of being sent to prisons, women criminals could be asked to do community service at schools or hospitals. "We will have a clearer picture after the meeting," he added. According to him, the legal section of the society was extending assistance to 19 Saudi and 700 foreign female prisoners. He said the majority of the cases for which women were sent to prison were drug-related. Sabban said help extended to women prisoners covered legal assistance, writing appeals for them, obtaining identity cards or renewing their iqamas (residence permits) and providing financial help to their families. The conference on substitute punishments held in Riyadh in October was attended by 47 international, Arab and local experts who deliberated the issue over 11 sessions.