Prisoners in Fujian given a visit home for Mid-Autumn Festival

Thirty five prisoners in China's Fujian Province have been granted a three-day visit during Mid-Autumn Festival so they can be reunited with family and friends, according to a report published by thepaper.cn on Saturday. This is the second time a family visit has been granted to prisoners in Fujian during a national holiday, following the visits granted during Spring Festival in February.

Prisoners attend an educational talk before leaving the prison for a family visit during Mid-Autumn Festival. [Photo: thepaper.cn]

The process for choosing the prisoners who are given leave is strict and detailed. Eight categories of prisoner are not allowed to take family leave in the interests of community safety. Prisoners must obey the law at all times during their home visit, and they must remain within a defined location. They are also not allowed to go to entertainment places such as nightclubs or bars.

A prisoner signs a note agreeing to the terms of his prison leave before going on a family visit during Mid-Autumn Festival. [Photo: thepaper.cn]

The family visits are part of efforts by prison officials in Fujian Province to improve the outlook of the prisoners, and for the benefit of their community.