MAKKAH — Brig. Gen. Sami Al-Shuwairekh, the spokesman of the Hajj Security Forces Command, said that 52 pilgrims were caught while trying to enter Makkah without a Hajj permit. He said that fines amounting to SR10,000 will be slapped on each one of the violators. Al-Shuwairekh called on all citizens and residents to abide by the instructions issued by the relevant authorities for this year's Hajj season. "The security forces will take punitive measures against anyone who tries to enter the Grand Mosque, the Central Haram Area, and the holy sites of Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat without a permit, until the end of the 13th day of Dhul Hijjah. The penalty will be doubled if the offense is repeated during the Hajj season," he said. A ban on entry to the holy sites without a Hajj permit came into force from Monday, July 5, 13 days before the annual pilgrimage, which is expected to begin on July 18. "The security personnel will carry out their duties along all roads, security check posts, as well as at the sites and corridors leading to the central area around the Grand Mosque to prevent any attempt to violate the regulations issued in this regard," the Ministry of Interior said in a recent statement.
