Saudi Arabia launches Hajj permit crackdown o stop heat deaths

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Saudi Arabian authorities have stopped over 269,000 individuals without the necessary permits from entering Mecca ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, officials announced on Sunday.

The Saudi government attributes overcrowding during the Hajj to unauthorized participants, also noting that many of those who died in last year’s extreme summer heat were those without official permission.

These expulsions highlight the extent of unauthorized pilgrimages, as well as the strong desire to participate in the Hajj. Currently, there are 1.4 million Muslims officially in Mecca, with further arrivals expected in the coming days.

Muslim pilgrims use umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun as they gather outside Nimrah Mosque to offer the noon prayers in Arafat, on the second day of the annual hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, June 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool, File) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

There are fines of up to $5,000 and other punitive measures, like deportation, for anyone performing the Hajj without a permit. The policy includes citizens and those with Saudi residency.

At a press conference in Mecca, officials said they had stopped 269,678 people without permits from entering the city. According to the rules, only those with permits are allowed to perform the pilgrimage, even if they live in the city year-round.

Officials have also imposed penalties on more than 23,000 Saudi residents for violating Hajj regulations and revoked the licenses of 400 Hajj companies.

Lieutenant General Mohammed Al-Omari told the media: “The pilgrim is in our sight, and anyone who disobeys is in our hands.”

The Hajj is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca and involves a series of religious rituals. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able to do it.

But it has been marred in recent years by concerns about extreme temperatures, with pilgrims performing their rituals outdoors in peak daylight hours.

Historically, deaths are not uncommon at the Hajj, which has seen at times over 2 million people travel to Saudi Arabia for a five-day pilgrimage. It has also seen fatal stampedes and other accidents.

Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense said Sunday that drones were being used for the first time at the Hajj. These can be used for surveillance and monitoring, as well as extinguishing fires.