The National Committee for the Care of Prisoners and the Released (Tarahum) in Jeddah has spent more than SR2 million on paying house rents in the first half of this year, said Abdul Rahman Al-Zahrani, its chief executive. Speaking to Makkah newspaper, he said the committee's Ruhama Program in coordination with Panda supermarkets has supported 213 families of prisoners to pay their house rents worth SR2.48 million. The committee won the release of 95 prisoners on bail after paying SR1.8 million. It also provided free legal support to 133 male and female inmates and found employment for 76 freed prisoners. "Tarahum has distributed 1,600 food baskets among families of prisoners, paid their electricity bills worth SR45,783 and provided financial assistance valued at SR31,630," Al-Zahrani said. "We have also supported seven families engaged in cottage industries to open their showrooms at bazaars and distributed 474 magnetic food cards among poor families to purchase various foodstuffs required by them," he added. Al-Zahrani said the Ramadan tent set up by the organization at Briman was benefited by 900 prisoners, adding that the event included cultural, recreational and sports programs.
