Eid Al Adha 2025: Dubai Ruler orders release of 985 inmates

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has ordered the release of 985 inmates of various nationalities from Dubai’s correctional and punitive establishments ahead of Eid Al Adha.

Chancellor Essam Issa Al Humaidan, Attorney General of Dubai, said the pardon reflects Sheikh Mohammed’s commitment to bringing happiness to families and providing opportunities for rehabilitation.

Sheikh Mohammed’s order to pardon the inmates “reflects his keenness to bring happiness to their families and give them an opportunity to start a new life and reintegrate themselves into society,” the Emirates News Agency (WAM) said in a statement, citing Al Humaidan said.

The Attorney General confirmed that Dubai Public Prosecution, working with Dubai Police, has begun the legal procedures to implement Sheikh Mohammed’s order.

The release includes inmates from multiple nationalities currently held in Dubai’s correctional facilities.

The timing coincides with the approach of Eid Al Adha, one of Islam’s most significant religious celebrations.