20 individuals fined for facilitating unauthorized Hajj pilgrims to Makkah

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s authorities penalized 20 persons for facilitating dozens of individuals to perform Hajj without permits, local media reported.

According to the Ministry of Interior, eight Saudi nationals and 12 foreign nationals were fined by for breaking Hajj laws. As they transported 60 persons without permission to do the Hajj, the Hajj Security Forces stationed at the entry gates to Makkah made these arrests.

A 10-year ban on re-entry into Saudi Arabia after serving their sentences, confiscation of vehicles used in the illegal transport of individuals, imprisonment, a maximum fine of SR100,000, and deportation of residents are among the administrative decisions the ministry issued against the transporters, accomplices, and individuals who were given transportation.

To guarantee pilgrims’ safety and security and to allow them to complete their rites in comfort and ease, the ministry called on all citizens and residents to abide by Hajj rules and directions.

Earlier, the Saudi Ministry of Interior has announced a series of stringent penalties targeting individuals who attempt to perform Hajj without the required permit, as well as those who facilitate such violations.

The measures will be enforced from the first of Dhul-Qi’dah until the 14th of Dhul-Hijjah.

Under the new regulations, individuals caught performing or attempting to perform Hajj without a valid permit will face fines of up to SAR 20,000. This penalty also applies to holders of all types of visit visas who enter or stay in Makkah or the holy sites during the restricted period without proper authorization.

Stricter penalties are set for facilitators: a fine of up to SAR 100,000 will be imposed on anyone who sponsors a visit visa for an individual who violates the Hajj permit regulations. The same penalty applies to those who transport, shelter, or assist visit visa holders in reaching or staying in Makkah and the holy sites. This includes accommodating them in hotels, apartments, private residences, shelters, or designated Hajj accommodations. The fine will be multiplied for each individual involved.