The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Haj and Umrah, Tawfiq al-Rabiah, in his recent speech said that political slogans have no place during the Haj pilgrimage. He announced that 1.2 million Muslims arrived in Mecca this week to perform the annual event.
The minister made the statement during a press conference in Riyadh on Thursday, May 6, highlighting the importance of adhering to regulations and cooperating with authorities during the pilgrimage.
In response to the reporter’s question about the rules and punitive measures, the minister stated: “This is what the Kingdom’s leadership, may God preserve it, is working on, ensuring that Haj truly embodies the highest levels of devotion, tranquillity, and spirituality.”
Al-Rabiah further emphasised that in previous years there has been “a high level of compliance” with these rules in KSA.
Pertinently, Ealire in November 2023, Saudi Arabia Police detained two persons, Algerian and Turkish nationals, after they reportedly publicly prayed for Gaza, Palestine, during their pilgrimage.
This year in May, the Kingdom’s government reportedly increased arrests of citizens for criticising Israel on social media in recent months due to its ongoing military onslaught against the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, Bloomberg reported citing officials and rights activists.
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