KUWAIT: Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khaled Al-Sabah has signed the lists of prisoners to be released on an Amiri pardon on the occasion of celebrating the national anniversaries, said security sources. The sources explained that the list includes the names of 1,100 inmates, 34 (including a woman) of whom are to be immediately released, while the others' prison time would be cut halved or quartered. "The list also included dropping financial fines and cancelling deportation of expats related to Kuwaitis," explained the sources.

The sources explained that the Amiri pardon committee at the Ministry of Interior's correctional facilities sector recently finished three months of work studying the files of 2,500 prisoners to select those who matched the pardon conditions before it submitted the 1,100 names list to Sheikh Mohammed, who in turn submitted it to the Amiri Diwan.

Notably, the Amiri pardon condition includes not having benefited from previous pardons, to have good conduct while doing time, not to be imprisoned in relation to murders (unless pardoned by the victim's family), not to be indebted to others (unless they reach a settlement) and not to be imprisoned in relation to state security or drug cases.

In other news, the Ministry of Health has reportedly given orders to medical staff at all public medical facilities in Kuwait to give priority in treatment to prisoners and people held pending deportation. This step comes to protect prisoners' health and maintain the safety of security measures, said sources with knowledge of the news. - Al-Rai, Al-Anbaa