Sudan frees 201 people jailed for debts under Ramadan pardon

KHARTOUM, Nov 16 (AFP) — The Sudanese authorities have freed 201 people who were jailed for failing to pay off debts or fines under a pardon for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, an official newspaper said Sunday.

The Ministry of Social and Cultural Affairs of Khartoum State paid the total amounting to 250 million Sudanese pounds (about 100,000 dollars) from funds in its Zakat (Islamic tax) chamber, the Alanbaa daily said.

A ceremony was held for their release Saturday at Soba prison, just outside the capital Khartoum, the daily said.

It quoted Khartoum State’s Social and Cultural Affairs Minister Hashim Haroun Ahmed as saying at the ceremony that his ministry plans to set free more inmates to let them participate in national reconstruction.

He advised the former inmates to pursue a path of good conduct and behaviour to avoid returning to prison.

Zakat chamber secretary general Abdel Qadir al-Fadni said at the ceremony that his chamber is launching, in conjunction with philanthropists and civil society organisations, a campaign for freeing inmates held between 1995 and 2000 for failure to pay diyats (blood money).

He did not give figures.