Director General of the General Directorate of Endowments Dr. Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Ghanim Al Thani (left) and Director of Penal and Correctional Institutions Department, Brigadier General Nasser Mohammed Al Sayed during the event.
Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has announced the first research award dedicated to upgrading Penal and Correctional Institutions in a ceremony held yesterday.
The event was organised by the permanent committee for punitive and correctional institutions, in collaboration with the endowment fund for scientific and cultural development of the General Department of Endowments under the patronage of Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) H E Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
The theme of the award primarily focuses on the programmes of successful care, reform, and rehabilitation in prisons, as per experiences of several countries around the world, as researchers can change the title in a way that does not deviate from the content of the award topic.
The winner will receive QR150,000 with a certificate of appreciation, while the second place will receive QR100,000 with a certificate of appreciation and the third place receiving QR50,000 with a certificate of appreciation.
Participation in the award is available for all researchers at home and abroad, as those who desire to participate shall submit their research via the designated website on the specified dates.
Participants are invited to register and submit their research during the period from January 29 to February 27, 2025, for the award results will be announced on July 17, 2025.
The information about the award, along with scientific and formal requirements for the research can be obtained via the link: https://awqaf.gov.qa/eslah/. Held at the Officers Club of the General Directorate of Civil Defense, the ceremony was attended by the Director-General of Civil Defense Maj Gen Hamad bin Othman Al Duhaimi, Director of Penal and Correctional Institutions Department and chairman of the permanent committee for punitive and correctional institutions Brig. Gen Nasser Mohammed Al Sayed, Director General of the General Directorate of Endowments, vice chairman of the Committee Dr. Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Ghanim Al-Thani, alongside several directors at MoI, officers and specialists.
Brigadier General Nasser Mohammed Al Sayed said that the award aims to primarily promote research that targets reforming inmates, rehabilitating them, returning them to the community as good individuals, studying their humanitarian and social conditions, as well as the legislation that regulates penal and correctional institutions, and establishing the global principle which affirms that those institutions are solely for reform and rehabilitation. The civilized nations have achieved tangible progress in science and knowledge because they believe in scientific research and accordingly have solved their problems through their findings, in addition to utilizing their resources, developing their economy, adapting their potential, and achieving security, Al Sayed added.
He pointed out that the third article of the law regulating the punitive and correctional institutions No. 3 of 2009 stipulates that the objective of the institution is to reform and rehabilitate inmates through utilizing all educational, teaching, and medical methods and influences, vocational training, social services, sports, cultural and recreational activities.
Dr. Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Ghanim Al Thani said the research award promotes the vital role performed by the institution in protecting the community and offering a wholesome and conducive environment for individuals who contribute to developing the community, pointing out that the award will offer qualitative research that promotes work, understand better practices and share experiences and expertise. He hoped the research would be a scientific reference for those operating in punitive and correctional institutions globally.
