Prisoners repairs to phone link from jail

Around 4,000 prisoners at Dubai central jail cannot contact their families and loved ones due to a technical fault in etisalat phone lines operating inside the jail. Prisoners said they are facing problems in using phone line connection for more than 10 days. "We are facing difficulties in using phones in the jail and we cannot contact our families and loved ones outside the jail," a prisoner told Gulf News. Prisoners said they use Dh20 prepaid etisalat phone cards for phones inside the jail. "When we follow the process which is required to make phone calls, it is answered by Customer Service [101]," said a prisoner. He said many were very frustrated and upset. "We need to contact our families. Phones are our only connection with the world outside the jail," said the prisoner. An Etisalat official said there was a technical problem with the 133 number used for prepaid cards. "We are trying to repair the service as soon as possible," said the official. Prisoners said there are around 100 phones in different wards and buildings. Each of them gets about two hours every week to use the phone and when the time is finished they wait until the next week. Prisoners jailed on financial charges are given more time to be able to sort their issues outside the jail. "We urge etisalat to repair the phones inside the jail as soon as possible because it is our window to the outside world," they said.