May 23, 2026 | 07:25 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The Saudi government is tightening security and traffic regulations ahead of the implementation of the 1447 Hijri Hajj pilgrimage by restricting access to Mecca and the holy sites for individuals without official Hajj permits.Mohammed Al-Bassami, Director General of Public Security and Chairman of the Hajj Security Committee at the Saudi Ministry of Interior, said authorities have deployed large-scale personnel and resources to ensure the safety of pilgrims from arrival to departure.Al-Bassami made the statement at a joint press conference of Hajj security force commanders at the Integrated Security Operations Center in Mecca on Friday, May 22, 2026.“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has deployed a large number of human and material resources to ensure the safety of pilgrims from their arrival to their departure,” he said, as quoted by Antara.According to him, security forces are also strengthening surveillance to prevent criminal acts, curb pickpocketing, and regulate vehicle traffic in central Mecca during the pilgrimage season.Al-Bassami emphasized that authorities continue to monitor and dismantle illegal Hajj practices, including fake pilgrimage campaigns and unofficial domestic travel agents. “Anyone caught transporting individuals without official Hajj permits may face up to 6 months in prison, a fine of up to 50,000 Saudi riyals for each violator, and the seizure of the vehicles used,” he said.He added that foreign violators will be deported immediately and banned from re-entering Saudi Arabia for 10 years.In the same press conference, Hamoud Al-Faraj said all operational preparations and emergency response measures have been completed. Field operations, he added, are coordinated through the sacred area operations center and the command center in Mina.Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Passports of Saudi Arabia said a total of 1,518,153 international pilgrims have arrived in the kingdom so far. Of that number, 1,457,514 arrived by air, 54,141 by land, and 6,497 by sea.Read: Saudi Arabia: 1.5 Million Join Hajj Pilgrimage Despite WarClick here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
