Saudi Tightens Security and Hajj Traffic in Mecca

Mecca, Saudi Arabia — The government of Saudi Arabia has stepped up security for the 1447 Hijri Hajj pilgrimage by tightening entry to Mecca and the holy precincts for individuals without official permission to participate as Hajj pilgrims. The statement was delivered by Lieutenant General Mohammed Al-Bassami, Director General of Public Security and chairman of the Hajj Security Committee, at a joint press conference for the commanders of the Hajj security forces at the Integrated Security Operations Centre in Mecca on Friday, 22 May. Al-Bassami stressed that the Kingdom has deployed substantial human and material resources to guarantee pilgrims’ safety from arrival to departure. Authorities have also carried out comprehensive on-the-ground security measures to prevent crime, crackdown on pickpocketing, and regulate traffic flow in the central Mecca area. He reiterated that anyone caught transporting individuals without official Hajj permission can face up to six months in prison, a fine of up to SAR 50,000 (roughly IDR 235 million) for each offender, and the seizure of the vehicle used. Offenders who are foreign nationals will be deported immediately and banned from entering Saudi Arabia for ten years. Also present at the press conference was Major General Dr Hamoud Al-Faraj, Director General of Civil Defence, who confirmed that civil defence forces have completed all preventive, operational, and emergency response preparations. The field operation is coordinated through the Holy City Operations Centre and the Command and Control Centre in Mina. Separately, the General Directorate of Passports has processed arrivals of 1,518,153 international Hajj pilgrims to date, of whom 1,457,514 arrived by air routes, 54,141 via land borders, and 6,497 via sea routes.