[July 21, 2011] Red Crescent connects 22 inmates to kin in Kingdom Tweet RIYADH, May 31, 2011 (Arab News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- The Saudi Red Crescent (SRC) facilitated 22 video calls between Saudi detainees abroad and their families in the Kingdom as part of the fourth stage of a project connecting Saudi inmates in other countries with their relatives. The SRC utilized video calling technology with the cooperation and coordination of representatives of the Red Cross International Committee -- Regional Headquarters to schedule calls between all Guantanamo detainees and their families in the Kingdom. There were eight calls set up in the Makkah area, three in Riyadh, one in Jazan, two in Najran, one in Asir, two in Tabuk, one in Hail and one in the Madinah area. The calls come as response to the directives of Chairman of SRC Prince Faisal bin Abdullah, who stressed the civil and humanitarian role of his organization. The project of connecting detainees and prisoners with their families was adopted by the SRC in 2008 with the International Committee of the Red Cross and inaugurated in Guantanamo in coordination with authorities there. In 2009, video calls were approved and in 2010 the project, using online calling service Skype, was implemented with 47 calls set up. The first phone call between prisoners in Bagram, Afghanistan, took place in June 2010. The SRC is also following up on family visits to prisoners in Iraq. Supervisor of the General Presidency for International Affairs Prince Abdullah bin Faisal said the SRC takes on social responsibilities in accordance with the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and deals with situations involving detained citizens with wisdom and dignity, especially those in tension areas, by providing support to their families. To see more of the Arab News or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.arabnews.com. Copyright (c) 2011, Arab News, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]