The Directorate of Monitoring, Detention, and Correctional Facilities at the Office of the Ombudsman visited Jau Reformation and Rehabilitation Centre to inspect the coordination procedures and arrangements made by the Centre’s administration to enable inmates to perform religious rituals related to Ashura Commemoration, as guaranteed by law and executive regulations.
The Ombudsman’s team collected information by examining arrangements and spaces allocated for Ashura rituals, and meeting the relevant officials from the Centre’s management, and reviewing the recordings of surveillance cameras installed in the buildings.
The team found that the inmates were allowed to practice the rituals of Ashura for this year, a daily programme was set, starting from Wednesday, July 19 corresponding to the first of the month of Muharram, to enable them to collectively perform religious rituals daily.
Inmates also revealed that banners and written slogans are placed and that they are allowed to read the books of supplications and make necessary preparations for chanters and food distribution, while complying with security and safety measures.
While reviewing the surveillance camera recordings located in the center’s buildings, the Ombudsman’s team found that the inmates were allowed to practice religious rituals in a normal and regular manner and that they are able to participate in them according to the regulations in the place.
The center’s management stated that there are continuous facilities to enable inmates to practice their religious rituals comfortably in all buildings and that they are allowed to gather in large halls and at specific times as stipulated by Law (18) of 2014 with respect to the issuance of the Reform and Rehabilitation Institutions Law in article (27) as well as the executive regulations of the law issued by Resolution (131) of 2015 in Article (51), which gave the inmates the right to perform their religious rituals on time.
The Ombudsman’s team concluded that the administration of the Jau Reformation and Rehabilitation Centre deals with the issue of freedom of religious rituals for inmates in line with the provisions of the Reform and Rehabilitation Institutions Law to enable inmates to perform rituals in a balanced manner, by ensuring the security of the facility, on one hand, and the safety and comfort of other inmates, on the other.
