Saudi Arabia Imposes New Regulations to Ban Political Activities During Hajj

The Saudi government has introduced new regulations for foreign citizens attending Hajj, which have been described as strict, particularly regarding 'political activities.' According to the Saudi newspaper 'Okaz' on Thursday, September 8, these regulations place the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in charge of all matters related to 'foreign pilgrims,' delegating responsibilities to 'registered Hajj and pilgrimage offices' in the countries from which pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia. The report states that 'the responsibility for pilgrims' adherence to the established laws and regulations' lies with these offices. The local newspaper 'Al-Madina' has characterized the new regulations as 'strict,' noting that each office is also responsible for registering pilgrims' details in specialized electronic systems for organizing rituals. Under the new regulations, 'holding any political photos, books, flags, placards, or brochures by pilgrims' and actions deemed 'disruptive to Saudi security' are prohibited. The regulations also ban 'any commercial transactions, brokerage, or currency exchange outside official exchange offices.' Furthermore, the new rules stipulate that the performance of Hajj and pilgrimage offices will be evaluated annually, and 'in the case of poor performance, their quota of pilgrims will be reduced.' The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has also deemed it a violation and crime for pilgrimage offices and their staff to use tents, accommodations, and transportation designated for Hajj for other purposes or to provide them to pilgrims without permission or to non-pilgrims. Last July, Saudi Arabia announced the deaths of 1,301 participants in this year's Hajj, stating that '83 percent of them participated without permits, which forced them to walk for hours or endure the scorching sun due to a lack of shelter and designated transportation.' According to Saudi officials, most deaths during the last Hajj were attributed to 'heatstroke.'