The Ministry of Interior has set up two villas to facilitate private visits between family members and those locked up in Central Prison, Gulf Times reports.

The villas would allow married prisoners with “legally authenticated marriage certificates” to spend up to five hours with their spouses and children. In some cases, the visit could be extended for a whole day.

The prison already has two conjugal visit rooms that will continue to remain available, said Brigadier-General Mohamed Saud al-Utaibi, director of the MOI’s Penal and Correctional Institutions Department (PCID).

Meanwhile, the MOI said it is working to make improvements to the jail.

Two new halls have also been added to the prison – one for family visits and one to train inmates in carpentry and welding. Female prisoners are trained in dressmaking, embroidery and handicrafts.

Gulf Times, which cited a report in Al Raya, added:

The Ministry of Interior is keen to implement a post-release care programme to help former prisoners lead a better life and avoid going back to crime.

(Al-Utaibi) said the efforts of PCID had been well received by various local and international human rights organisations which had paid visits to its facilities. “In particular, the prison library has won their admiration as it has now more than 11,000 books.”

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