SCC approves correctional institutions' reform law

May 21, 2026 / 8:35 PM

Sharjah 24: Sharjah's Consultative Council is advancing a new law that would overhaul how the emirate runs its correctional institutions, with council members having reviewed all 63 articles of the draft legislation this week.

According to Mohammed Saleh Al Ali, a council member on the legislative committee, the law aims to modernise Sharjah's prisons by prioritising rehabilitation over punishment.

"It supports social stability and reinforces the values of reform," he told "Sharjah 24," adding that several amendments proposed by council members had been accepted by government representatives during the discussions.

The draft was referred to the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee before being put to the full council. Talks centred heavily on aftercare programs and what kind of environment inmates should be held in—with members pushing for conditions that meet basic humanitarian standards.

Al Ali expressed gratitude to both the committee and government officials for their collaborative efforts in advancing the legislation, characterising it as a law that benefits the entire emirate.

The draft is now going through the council’s normal legislative process before it can be formally enacted.