Penal and Correctional Institutions Law — articles 1–60

In application of the provisions of this Decree Law, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context otherwise requires: State: The United Arab Emirates. Ministry: Min…

The provisions of this Decree Law shall apply to federal penal and correctional institutions in the State.

Penal and correctional institutions shall be established, and their locations and departments shall be designated by a resolution issued by the Minister.

Penal and correctional institutions are classified into two types: 1. Penal and correctional institutions for men. 2. Penal and correctional institutions for women.

When building penal and correctional institutions, the following controls shall be observed: 1. Determining their capacity, type, specialisation, and proximity to public service areas as much as possible. 2. Penal and co…

1. The penal and correctional institution is managed by the Institution Officer, who is responsible for guarding the inmates and implementing the laws, regulations and systems related to their management. 2. The Institut…

1. Penal and correctional institutions shall prepare the database necessary for their work, which shall include the following data: a. Daily data of the penal and correctional institution. b. Personal data of inmates. c.…

While in the penal and correctional institution, the inmate shall have the following rights: 1. Duly respect of his dignity, and not being subjected to torture, cruel treatment or degrading punishment. 2. To have access …

1. Every inmate shall have the right to submit a written complaint to the Institution Officer at any time, and request that it be notified to the competent public prosecution. The Institution Officer must accept it and n…

1. Penal and correctional institutions shall be subject to the supervision of the Public Prosecution in accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code. 2. The competent member of the Public Prosecution has…

1. The Ministry shall form special committees or work teams to inspect penal and correctional institutions and verify the implementation of all laws, regulations and systems, taking into account, as much as possible, tha…

The Executive Regulation of this Decree Law shall specify the conditions, procedures and types of in-person or virtual visits in penal and correctional institutions, and the cases in which visits are completely or partia…

1. No person may be detained in a penal or correctional institution except on the basis of a written detention order issued by the competent Public Prosecution, the competent court, or any other legally competent authori…

1. In the penal and correctional institution, places shall be allocated for inmates who have been issued a judgment to deport them from the State, to be temporarily detained there until the deportation order is implement…

Inmates may be transferred between federal penal and correctional institutions and local penal and correctional institutions in the circumstances and under the conditions specified in the Executive Regulation of this Dec…

1. Every inmate must be searched upon entering the penal and correctional institution, and any money or valuables found with him must be taken and deposited in the penal and correctional institution's safes to be deliver…

The Executive Regulation of this Decree Law shall specify the types of inmates' uniforms and the mechanism for disposing of their personal clothing upon detention and dispensing it upon their release.

1. Inmates in penal and correctional institutions shall be classified into categories according to the inmate's legal status, type of crime, length of sentence and security risk. 2. The following conditions must be met w…

1. The inmate in pre-trial detention shall have the right to meet his visitors and correspond with whomever he wishes, and he may contact any person he wishes to contact under the supervision of the Institution Officer o…

1. The pregnant inmate shall be exempted from working in the penal and correctional institution as of the date of establishing her pregnancy, and shall be given special care in terms of food and sleep, and the implementa…

1. The Executive Regulation of this Decree Law shall determine provisions related to the following: a. The jobs that may be performed by inmates, taking into account their categories, ages and health conditions. b. Worki…

If the period of stay of the convicted inmate in the penal and correctional institution exceeds four (4) years, he must, before his release, go through a period of community empowerment, during which the gradual easing o…

The Executive Regulation of this Decree Law shall specify the procedures for preparing periodic reports on the behaviour of inmates in penal and correctional institutions according to their categories.

1. Penal and correctional institutions are obligated to provide health care and medical treatment to inmates in coordination with government health establishments. 2. Government health authorities and establishments are …

The Executive Regulation of this Decree Law shall determine the requirements for the care of inmates in penal and correctional institutions in the following areas: 1. Hygiene measures 2. Daily meals and food safety. 3. M…

1. If the doctor in charge of providing mental treatment to inmates in the penal and correctional institution finds that the inmate is suffering from a mental disease, he must refer him to one of the mental health facili…

1. If the doctor in charge of providing medical treatment to inmates in the penal and correctional institution finds that the inmate is suffering from a disease that threatens his life or the lives of others or completel…

1. If the condition of the sick inmate reaches a critical level where his death is feared, based on what is stated in the medical report, the penal and correctional institution must take the initiative to notify his fami…

1. The concerned federal and local authorities are committed to supporting penal and correctional institutions in providing social care to inmates, each according to its jurisdiction, in the following areas: a. Physical …

1. The inmate shall have the right to continue his studies at his own expense, and the penal and correctional institution must coordinate with the competent educational authorities to facilitate attending classes and lec…

1. The penal and correctional institution may, after the approval of the Public Prosecution, allow the inmate to leave the institution temporarily for emergency reasons or for reasons of work, education, training, or fam…

1. A convicted inmate who has served a period not less than three (3) months of the penalty imposed may meet his family members up to the second degree or his spouse, by submitting a request to the Institution Officer sp…

1. The penal and correctional institution must inform each inmate of the duties and prohibitions he must adhere to, in a language that he understands. 2. Any inmate who violates the laws, regulations or systems in force …

1. The disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed on the inmates are: a. Warning b. Deprivation of all or some of the privileges prescribed for his category for a period not exceeding thirty (30) days. c. Deprivation of …

1. The disciplinary sanctions stipulated in Article (34) of this Decree Law shall be imposed in accordance with the following controls: a. Conducting an investigation that includes confronting the inmate with the act att…

The imposition of any disciplinary sanctions shall not prevent the release of the inmate within the period stipulated in the order of detention.

1. The prisoner is released at noon of the day after the end of the sentence. 2. If the inmate is to be placed under police surveillance or electronic monitoring, the penal and correctional institution must coordinate wi…

1. The pre-trial detainee shall be released upon the expiry of the period stated in the detention order, unless it is extended or an order for his release is issued before its expiry by the competent authorities, unless …

1. A medical committee shall be formed by a Cabinet resolution based on the proposal of the Minister after coordination with the concerned authorities, to study the cases of inmates suffering from mental diseases or dise…

1. Every inmate sentenced to a custodial sentence of one month or more shall be released if he has served three quarters of the sentence, and his behaviour during his stay in the penal and correctional institution calls …

1. The inmate sentenced to life imprisonment who has served the sentence for a period not less than fifteen (15) years may submit a request to the Institution Officer for his release. The officer must express his opinion…

1. Subject to the provisions of multiple crimes and penalties stipulated in the Crimes and Penalties Law, if multiple penalties are imposed for crimes committed before the inmate is admitted to the penal and correctional…

1. If the prisoner has spent a period in pre-trial detention before the execution of the sentence, his release shall be based on the entire period of the sentence, including the period of pre-trial detention that must be…

The Public Prosecutor shall consider and examine complaints submitted regarding release and take whatever action he deems necessary.

1. The transitional age category for inmates shall be determined as follows: a. The juvenile who has reached the age of eighteen (18) years and has not exceeded the age of twenty-one (21) years, and has been transferred …

The Ministry shall, in coordination with the concerned authorities in the State, develop annual programmes to care for inmates of the transitional age group and grant them the benefits stipulated for them in accordance w…

1. Inmates of the transitional age category may be granted the following exceptional leaves: a. Leave from the penal and correctional institution to visit his family on official holidays and special occasions. b. Excepti…

The restricted freedom system may be applied to the convicted inmate of the transitional age category, in coordination with the concerned authorities, by employing them outside the penal and correctional institution in t…

1. The Institution Officer may order, as a precautionary measure, the restriction of the movement of the inmate's hands or feet by any means if he becomes agitated or hostile or if he is feared to escape, and the discipl…

1. Without prejudice to the cases and conditions for the use of weapons stipulated in Federal Law No. (12) of 1976 Concerning the Police and Security Force, as amended, or any other law replacing it, the Institution Offi…

Inmates must be alerted, upon entering or exiting the penal or correctional institution, to the provisions regulating the restriction of inmate movement or the use of weapons and to the penalties prescribed for escaping …

Artificial intelligence may be used to monitor inmates and predict their intentions and health and psychological state, in accordance with the controls determined by the Executive Regulation of this Decree Law.

1. Pursuant to the provisions of this Decree Law, a committee called the "Inmate Correctional Policies Committee" shall be established and shall be affiliated with the Ministry. A Cabinet resolution shall be issued to fo…

1. A penalty of imprisonment for a period not less than six (6) months and/or a fine not less than fifty thousand (50,000) AED shall be imposed on anyone who: a. Enters or attempts to enter to, or take out or attempts to…

The penal and correctional institution may establish a fund to support and sponsor products made by inmates and the services they can provide. The fund may purchase or establish commercial establishments to market these …

The Ministry may, after the approval of the Council of Ministers, outsource some of the tasks, procedures and services assigned to it under the provisions of this Decree Law and its Executive Regulation to any other gove…

The Cabinet shall issue, upon the proposal of the Minister, the Executive Regulation of this Decree Law.

The Minister shall issue the executive resolution necessary to implement the provisions of this Decree Law.

1. Federal Law No. (43) of 1992 Regulating Penal Institutions shall be repealed, as well as any provision that violates or contradicts the provisions of this Decree Law. 2. The resolutions and systems related to penal in…

This Decree Law shall be published in the Official Gazette, and shall enter into force one hundred and eighty (180) days as of the date of its publication.