PTI

Riyadh, May 7: More than 11,000 prisoners, including many Indians, are expected to benefit from an amnesty declared by the King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

"More than 11,000 men and women in the Kingdom's jails will be freed under the new amnesty announced by the king on Friday," Director-General of Prisons Maj-Gen. Ali Al-Harithy said.

The move is expected to benefit many Indians languishing in the prisons of the kingdom on charges of committing various offences.

Jail authorities in different regions would start releasing prisoners after receiving the terms and conditions for the release, he was quoted as saying by the 'Arab News'.

"The pardon covers convicts who do not pose a danger to security and are not involved in major crimes," Interior Minister Prince Naif said.

The king also instructed payment of debts and blood money for prisoners, who have insufficient funds of their own, to allow their reintegration into society.

Forty five per cent of cases in the Kingdom are related to private rights and that Saudi courts annually receive an average of 24,000 such cases.

About 11,500 prisoners were released in a similar amnesty by the king last year.